Puppet Legend
by Angry Mob
Summary: Naruto dreams about becoming Hokage are shattered, he gives up on Sakura, and an interesting conversation with Sasuke leads him to discovering a new way to fight: Puppets. Naruto/FemKyuubi/Maybe Anko.
1. Kirmiko

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto.

I will be continuing with this fic, hopefully to beyond 100,000 words. Hope you enjoy!

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Puppet Legend

Chapter 1 - Kimiko

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"Sakura-chan, will you go out with me?"

"Naruto! Get out of my life." The pink haired girl shouted loudly. "Why don't you understand that everyone hates you, your just lowering my chances of getting a date with Sasuke-kun. Why don't you kill yourself and do everyone a favour. It's not like anyone loves you, and if you're not around, Sasuke-kun would only have to save me when we're in danger, rather then you as well." A dreamy look appeared in her eyes. "Did you see the love in his eye's when he defeated that Haku person? He didn't want anyone to hurt me."

Naruto looked into the distance thinking over what Sakura had said. He recalled a conversation with the Hokage...

'_jiji, do you have a wife?'_

'_Yes Naruto, why do you ask?'_

'_I want to marry Sakura-chan. I love her, but she doesn't love me...'_

'_Are you sure you love her Naruto.' The old twinkled down at him. 'Love is something very complicated. Something much different from attraction. I think you were lonely, and saw Sakura being bullied, and thought she was like you, but really she has no idea of the hardship you've been though. When the time comes, look deep inside yourself, and ask yourself if you really love her.'_

_Naruto looked confused for a second then smiled up at the old man. 'Thank you Hokage-sama, I'm sure I'll understand someday.'_

'_You will. Now I've got work to do. Kage-Bushins can't do all the work themselves you know' He grinned motioning to the three identical copies of him at a desk by his side doing some paperwork. 'I've got to meet representatives from Rain country about the upcoming Chuunin exams. Why don't you have yourself some ramen.' He pulled out some ramen vouchers from his desk, and passed them to the young boy, chuckling at the ecstatic look the young boy was giving him. 'If you ever need anything, I'm always here for you Naruto.'_

'_Thank you Jiji. You're the best!' He yelled over his shoulder as he ran from the room clenching the ramen vouchering firmly in his fist. _

"I think I understand jiji" Naruto murmured to himself.

"What are you on about idiot. Are you going to leave me alone or not?"

"Yeah..." He murmured subconsciously, trying to think of a time Sakura had been nice to him. He couldn't. "I'll leave you alone... pink haired bitch." He muttered the last part, obviously not quietly enough though, as he saw a fist come out of nowhere forcing him to quickly dodge.

"Good. Now I'm going to find Sasuke-kun." Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully finding Sasuke was more important than a punch on the head for him.

"What do you want me for?" Both of them jumped in surprise looked up, and saw Sasuke standing in a tree above them.

"Sasuke-kun will you go out with me!" Sakura yelled.

"Listen to yourself. You're worse than Naruto. I'm going to train. Do you want to come Naruto?"

Naruto grinned up at his rival. "Can have you getting ahead of me can I." And followed the black haired teen out of the park, and to the nearest training ground flicking Sakura off as he went.

They spared, Sasuke winning as usual by using an advanced fire Jutsu Kakashi had taught him to take out Naruto's clone army, and using his Sharingan and superior speed and Taijutsu skills beat him around a bit before smashing him into the ground.

They sat down in the clearing after Naruto had woken up, and ate the small lunch Sasuke had brought with him.

"You should learn more Jutsu's Naruto. We would be more evenly matched if you could do something more than just Kage-Bushin."

"I can't... no-one will teach me. Kakashi-sensei says I need to work on my chakra control before I can learn anything, even though I practice for two hours every day, and jiji says I'm as good as some Chuunin. I've already mastered the water walking exercise which even Sakura can't do. I'm not allowed in the library because the old man there won't let me in, and they have a Henge detector at the entrance, so I can't sneak in, so I only know the academy styles and jutsu, and Kage-Bushin, which I learnt from the secret scroll." Naruto suddenly realized what he had said, and glanced at Sasuke.

His teammate was looking at him curiously, but didn't ask anything, he just stood up, and looked at Naruto. "I'll teach you something."

"What."

"I'll teach you a Jutsu, and you can have some of the family fighting styles scrolls that I've used." He made the best attempt he could make at a smile, which turned into a twisted sort of smirk, but luckily Naruto managed to interpret it as friendly.

"Why would you do that."

"For some reason no-one will teach you, and when you run away, you need to be able to look after yourself, or you'll die within minutes, and we'll never be able to have a re-match."

"What do you mean, I'm not running anywhere."

"You will. I've seen how the villagers, and most of the Shinobi look at you. In the end it will get to you. I'm going to leave here too, soon as the right time comes."

"But..."

"If I were you I'd leave. Take this special scroll of yours, and leave. There's plenty of jobs out there for missing nins, and not all of them involve killing people, and plenty of people out there to train you. What do you have to lose?"

"Hokage jiji."

"If he cared about you, why didn't he adopt you? Now here's the basic Uchiha stance, and a low level fire technique. Once you've proved you're not a dobe and can learn by yourself, come back to me, and I'll show you something that will help you when I leave." Sasuke said, then jumped off into the trees, too fast for Naruto to stop him.

'Why would he do this for me, we've always been rivals. What does he get out of it?' Naruto thought as he slowly climbed to his feet, and set off out of the training ground.

- ONE WEEK LATER -

Naruto emerged from the forest to see Sasuke sitting in the exact same spot as one week ago. He sat down next to him, and passed him the scrolls.

Sasuke looked up a gleam in his eye. "Let's fight."

Naruto grinned, and got into the most advance stance on the scroll. "I've been busy."

Sasuke ignored him, and sent a string of punches at Naruto's chest. He dodged them all but the last one, which he ducked, and punched up, catching Sasuke in the chin, sending him flying twenty feet back.

"You've improved." He sat up, and spat out some blood. "But is it enough..." Jumping to his feet, he did a series of hand seals, and breathed out a huge tongue of flame. Naruto had just enough time to jump up into the air to avoid the fire, but was caught with an elbow from behind. Sasuke grinned in victory, but it was quickly replaced with shock when Naruto disappeared in a cloud of white smoke.

Kunai clashed, as Sasuke managed to parry Naruto's surprise attack from behind his back. Not being able to hold him off for long, Sasuke flipped back, and flashed through another set of hand seals, creating a long rope, which spread round the blond, but Naruto clumsily made a series of hand seals just in time, firing a set of mini fireballs from his mouth, burning the rope to a crisp.

The two continued to fight using Taijutsu, with the occasional fire Jutsu, till one of Naruto's clones tripped over into the real Naruto, causing him to lose his concentration, and not be able to finish the set of hand seals he was trying to complete in times to meet Sasuke's similar fire Jutsu.

He collapsed to the ground, and waved off Sasuke who came hurrying over to see if he was alright.

"You should get to the hospital. Those burns look bad."

Naruto chuckled dryly. "I've had worse than this. I have enhanced healing, so I should be better again in about ten minutes."

Nodding, Sasuke motioned for Naruto to follow him. "I'm leaving tomorrow, and I need your help."

"What! Where are you going? Why do you need me?" Naruto spluttered, hurrying to catch up with him.

"I'm the last Uchiha, and people treat me like royalty. They shouldn't. My father was evil. He was trying to gain power to overthrow the Hokage. He wanted power, and wasn't afraid to kill innocent people to get it. However people ignored that because they though they needed the Uchiha for the safety of the village. I lied when I said I wanted to kill Itachi, I had too, because I overheard a conversation I wasn't supposed to. Itachi is working for the Hokage undercover in a secret organisation called Akatsuki. My father found out Itachi was working for the Hokage, and tries to kill him." Naruto could see tears in Sasuke's eyes.

"Itachi had to kill all the Uchiha under the Hokage's orders, and because they attacked him, but he left me alive."

"I'm leaving because this village think I'm the answer to their problems, and I'm not! Because I need to find out why Itachi left me alive, yet killed my mother. She hated my father, and his schemes, and would often get beaten by him. I need to find out why he killed her."

"But...why are you telling me this."Naruto asked nervously, he could see the anger and emotion in Sasuke's face.

"You know I mentioned Itachi working undercover in an organisation called Akatsuki." Naruto nodded. "They're objective is to capture all the tailed beasts. One through nine. Twelve years ago, The nine tailed fox attacked this village, all the villagers hate and fear you, the Hokage mentioned your name when he was talking to Itachi. It all fits together."

"Oh..."

"I thought you might want to know there are a group of S-class missing nins out to get you and the other tailed beasts. Also In case I... in case I die. Can you find Itachi, and kill whoever was responsible for my mother's death."

"I promise." Naruto said sincerely, and Sasuke nodded his thanks.

"Now here we are." Sasuke motioned in front of him.

Naruto looked around, and realized he hadn't been looking where he was going. He figured he must be under the Uchiha district somewhere. They were in a dark solid looking room, with the only light coming from a bare light bulb above them. The room had a pile of boxes in one corner, and shelf of scrolls, with a few racks of weapons along another wall. In the far corner Naruto noticed a funny shaped object covered in a moth eaten dust blanket.

"This is the Uchiha storeroom. All important objects and weapons used to go in here. Itachi took some of the useful stuff when he left I think, however you can have what you want out of here to help you.

Naruto spent a few minutes looking through the scrolls, detailing some more advanced Uchiha techniques, and a few of the smaller weapons he found in one of the boxes.

"What's this?" he asked, motioning to the odd object in the corner.

Sasuke walked over and dragged the blanket off the object to reveal a bent over human form. Naruto cautiously walked over, and peered intently at it. It was a lady, just tall with long black hair but the skin was different, dead and dried up. Sasuke lifted it up, and Naruto staggered back as bright red eyes stared back at him.

"She's my aunt, Kimiko." Sasuke said grimly, my mother's sister. She too didn't agree with my father, and disappeared when I was six. Apparently she was found by some ANBU working undercover in Suna. They managed to sneak her and everything they found with her out of Suna, and gave it all to the Uchiha, out of fear of what might happen if someone found out they didn't. People had a habit of disappearing when they crossed my family back then.

"There are some books too." Sasuke continued, holding out a pile of books Naruto hadn't seen. "They don't tell you much of the art, just a journal of some crazy Shinobi I think."

"But what is she." Naruto said, ignoring what Sasuke was saying, and looking at the object in horror.

"A puppet of some sort, but not like the normal sort that some people in Suna use. There's an old legend that details a technique that can be used to bring dead humans to life...apparently someone out there can still use it, and made this."

"But if the instructions are here, why doesn't someone use it."

"The Uchiha" Sasuke sighed. "Are lazy, very lazy, and this puppet thingy takes a lot more work then copying other people's techniques. However without training, you can't master a technique. This is why Itachi was strong enough to kill them all; he would train so often we hardly talked to each other. Oh and they were very arrogant, thinking the techniques weren't strong enough to bother with."

"If you want it, you can have it all. I don't know much about puppets, but I think you'll probably have to know a bit about our style to use this puppet, so you can use the scrolls in the corner, I've finished with them all."

"But why don't you use it."

"Think dobe. Why would I want to fight with an Uchiha when I am one myself? It wouldn't suit my style, and I'm going to be travelling too much to deal with all this. Why don't you focus on the scrolls over there? There are some pretty powerful techniques, and you can take them all, I've got copies."

"Maybe, Thanks Sasuke this is awesome, I'm going to become the world's greatest ninja." Naruto shouted loudly, waving his hands in the air, ignoring the half scornful, half annoyed look Sasuke was giving him. "You said you needed my help, what was it, and is there anything else I can do?"

"Yeah, I'm leaving tomorrow; I'm packed everything, and made a spare key to this room, so only you and me can access it. You're going to have to be careful when you visit as this area will probably be searched when I leave."

"Won't they be able to break in?"

"Impossible, too many secrecy Jutsu's. The only reason you can even see his room is because I have a key and brought you here, and now you have a key." Sasuke said, passing a large dull gray key over to Naruto who carefully placed it in a pocket.

"Anyway, as I was saying, I'm going to leave tonight at about twelve when the guard changes, I need you to make a distraction at around one in the afternoon of the next day, when we're supposed to be having 'team training'." He said emphasising the fact that team training meant Sasuke training, which Sakura watched, while Naruto was ignored. "That is the earliest people will start to miss me, and I need more time to get clear. It has to last long enough to give me a good twenty four hour head start as hunter nin's will be much faster than me, and I'll be setting up traps and diversions as I go. You have to get team training cancelled, and distract Sakura somehow. Maybe some sort of Prank, something perverted that will get Kakashi's attention."

Naruto reached forward in shock and punched Sasuke in the arm.

"What was that for?"

"Checking for Henge, you told me to do something perverted. That's just so...un-Sasuke like." Naruto said in a daze. Sasuke returned the punch. "Yeah I think I've got an idea, should last most of the day, and will defiantly keep Kakashi occupied." Naruto grinned evilly; I think Konoha's perverts are going to get a wakeup call tomorrow."

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AN: Something that came to me when reading another puppet story, about the possible ways of getting Naruto into puppets other than the other story idea's I've read.

I know Sasuke is OOC, however if he did know about Itachi, and the arrogant thing was just a cover, I think this is how he would act. This fic is set between the wave arc and the Chuunin exam; let's say about a month before the Chuunin exams.

Happy 2009 people!


	2. Perverted Hokage

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Puppet Legend

Chapter 2 - Perverted Hokage

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"_...I think Konoha's Perverts are going to get a wake-up call tomorrow."_

"Good. Now there is one more thing." Sasuke said, looking at the ground uncomfortably.

"What is it?" Naruto asked quickly, leaving his imagination to run wild on its own.

"Well I was wandering if you'd teach me the Kage-Bushin."

"What's wrong, of course I will, after giving me all this stuff..."

"Well I thought it might be a special family Jutsu, or something seeing as it's the only Jutsu you seemed to know."

"No! I learnt it from a secret village scroll I stole off the Hokage ages ago. You won't be able to make as many as me, because I have more chakra..." Naruto suddenly remembered Sasuke knew his secret, "...I mean because of the Kyuubi, but the old man told me the really cool thing about Kage-Bushin is that whatever the clone learns, you learn, so you can use them as scouts and reading really boring stuff, so you know it, but don't have to endure hours of boredom. The old man uses it for paperwork all the time.

Naruto ran through the seals and how the technique worked while Sasuke watched, trying to hide his excitement that obviously came whenever he learned a high rank Jutsu, behind his 'cool' facade. Finally he was able to make two clones appear, and just to show him, why he was master of the technique, Naruto made a hundred.

- NEXT DAY -

"Hokage come quick, enemy Shinobi!" A masked ANBU shouted, running into the Hokage's room to see the old man wearing his battle gear, and looking grim.

"I know, I've just noticed them. I don't know how they managed to slip an army that big past all the guards."

"How many are there Hokage-sama?"

"Probably about fifty, now go and get every available Shinobi we have, quick."

The ANBU promptly Jumped out of the window, and the Hokage followed suit, heading in the opposite direction towards the Village gate.

"Hokage-sama, we don't know what they're doing, they've stopped moving, just stand there watching us. Should we attack?"

The Hokage was just about to answer when he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. Turning round he was faced with a young blond haired girl, wearing nothing, with tiny puffs of smoke covering all the important areas. The Hokage stood there for a few seconds, a small stream of blood trickling down his nose, before he finally registered what he was seeing and flew backwards, blood streaming from his nose.

The rest of the Konoha forces spun round immediately to find out what had sent their great leader flying. All of them were dispatched of in a similar fashion, apart from about fifteen fuming Kunoichi who glared first at the group of nearly naked girls in front of them, and then at the heap of perverts lying in a pool of their own blood a little way off.

After a brief moment of indecision, where the female ninja's alternated between casting angry looks at the girls, and disgusted looks at the men, and even a few jealous glances at the super curvy bodies in front of them.

Kurenai, coming to her senses, realized she was the most experienced person there. "You five, go and see if the men are OK, and find out who those enemy nin are." She said, glaring scornfully at the men of the village, her sometimes date Asuma lying unconscious on top of the pile. "The rest of us, will investigate this, she said, waving a hand behind her." She turned round to find that ten or so young girls had vanished. "Catch them... Alive." She added, noticing that a few other 'boyfriends' lay among the perverts.

---

Naruto grinned as he noticed the guard that was usually stationed at the entrance to the Uchiha grounds listened intently into his earpiece, then vanished in a Shunshin. He could have jumped over the wall as the guard was mainly there to keep nosey citizens out of the deserted district; however he wanted to know how his plan had gone so far. Obviously successful, as he noticed another two ninsjumping alone the rooftops above him, in too much of a hurry to notice the orange clad Genin walk into the Uchiha Training hall.

He quickly found the key in his pocket, and inserted it into the odd shaped crack in the wall. A door appeared when he turned the key, and Naruto eagerly entered the hidden room.

Glancing round him eagerly, Naruto found his eyes lingering on the object; he knew to be a human puppet, lying in the corner. He knew nothing about the art; apart from what Sasuke had told him, which wasn't much, but for some reason he bent down, and picked up the book he'd been shown yesterday. Feeling a bit Stupid for ignoring the dangerous techniques in the scrolls, and the different lethal looking weapons, he flicked open the first page, and read:

'I'm leaving this village, and hope that someday another will rise with the power and mastery over the puppetry techniques to challenge me to a proper fight. If they win, I will grant them my prize possession, the... Good luck.' The last few words appeared to have been blurred, although Naruto couldn't see that the book had been damaged in any way.

That was all there was. Narutofrowned, and flicked to the next page. It gave in rather brief details the ability to make Chakra strings to control puppets. Naruto could see it would need a lot of work, and turned the page to find the next blank. Quickly he flicked through the rest of the book, only to reveal empty pages. Naruto huffed in annoyance, and threw the book at the puppet.

He got up, and walked over to the shelf of scrolls, picking the first, and read. It gave him an in depth description of what the Sharingan did, and how it was used, but nothing of any use to the blond Jinchūriki. He tried the next one, and was rewarded with a list of Jutsu's and Genjutsu's that were usually taught to Uchiha that developed their Sharingan late, as they all didn't require the bloodline to complete.

Naruto counted ten in total, including the three fire Jutsu's he'd already learnt: _**'**_**__****Katon: Gokakyu no****__****Jutsu'**, great fireball technique, '**__****Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu'********, Art of the phoenix**which created numerous small fireballs, in which shurikens can be hidden,

The third technique he'd learnt was called '_Katon: Anaboko kaenm'_, flame pit, which created as its name suggested, and large pit with flames at the bottom. Naruto could only manage to make a small version of the technique so far, about the size of a bath tub, however it said on the scroll Sasuke had originally given him that it took time to channel the chakra required through his hands, however when you had the technique down, you could make the pit as big as needed depending on how much chakra you put into the technique. Sasuke had said something about the technique being similar to one the toad Sennin used, but Naruto had never bothered to pay too much attention in History class, so wasn't exactly sure who this Sennin or what his technique was, but his looked cool, and he was starting to get curious as to what would happen if someone was to fall in. The pit went down twenty meters, with vertical sides, and some very hot looking flames at the bottom.

As Naruto didn't know any Genjutsu, he decided to delay learning the four listed, leaving three others. The first created a Blue fire, which was infused with the users Chakra, and continued burning for a few minutes. The advantages were it could be used to trap the enemy, it could burn through a lot more objects, including the ground, and it did a lot more damage to those it hit in combat.

The second make the fire form into a whip, which could be used to block weapons, or capture somebody, although the technique was quite dangerous to use when fighting alone as the user was not able to move, or focus on defending themselves very well.

The third technique created eight rings of fire around the user, in a pattern, so that they were completely surrounded. This couldn't block many Jutsu, and didn't let the user cast many Jutsu apart from other fire ones, however it protected them from hand held weapons, and Taijutsu using opponents as the enemy wouldn't be able to get close enough to hit him. Narutoalso figured it would give him a good chance to escape or move to a new place on the battlefield if he needed to for whatever reason.

Narutopocketed the scroll, and without thinking about it, picked up the puppet book that had knocked away the covering when he had thrown it, revealing the empty face of Sasuke's Aunt. Shuddering at the cold emotionless eyes, he walked to the door, and locked it, breathing an involuntary sigh of relief. There was something about that puppet that seemed real, alive...dismissing the though, Naruto made a Shadow Clone, who Henged into Sasuke, and the two set off down the road together.

---

The Hokage had woken up about a quarter of an hour after his embarrassing take down, and slowly climbed to his feet, feeling a bit light headed due to the blood loss.

"Hokage-sama, are you alright?" The Hokage recognised the voice of a young Chuunin, and looked around him. There was blood everywhere, and he seemed o be sitting on an ANBU member, his mask a dirty red colour, making him look more than just a bit scary.

"What happened?" He asked, "Is anyone hurt?"

"We don't know Sir, everyone here's fine, and the Ninja who we thought were attacking were just Bushin. You and the other per...men got a bit distracted, and made a fo... passed out." She said, trying to keep her righteous anger in check, while remaining polite and professional in the company of the village leader.

"Oh yeah..." The Hokage murmured in shame, before realizing something. The only person he'd ever seen with a chest that large was Tsunade, and he'd seen at least three with this... distinct feature. Most had blond hair, and looked remarkably similar to a certain prankster: "NARUTO!"

On the other side of Konoha, said blond prankster raised his head, and looked around at the villagers who were all looking at him in confusion and the ever present anger.

"That must be a record." He said to 'Sasuke' ignoring the others that were staring at them as they walked along Konoha's main street. "My personal best is him being knocked out for forty five minutes, but he's been only twenty before. It must have been only about fifteen this time. I hope he isn't becoming immune to my lady like charm."

'Sasuke' merely grunted, trying to keep up his normal indifference, but Naruto noticed the clone snigger to itself as he pretend to cough. "We'd better hurry if we're going to get to team training, Naruto. We're supposed to be fighting Kakashi-sensei today, and I've been practicing a new move that will help me get my revenge." Sasuke drawled.

Naruto noticed the interest they were receiving from those around them, including the proud smile directed at the black haired 'avenger' from an old lady running a store across the street when he mentioned his revenge on Itachi. He smirked, Mission complete, all he had to do now was put Kakashi out of action, and then have some fun with the rest of the village.

The two arrived exactly at around two O'clock to find a fuming Sakura. "You were supposed to be here three hours ago!" She yelled at her teammates, and was about to punch Naruto in the head when Sasuke glared at her. "Do you think it's going to help us against Kakashi if you injure Naruto before he's even got here?"

Sakura mumbled something, and sat down with her back against the bridge, where they often met their sensei.

Naruto nudged Sasuke, and pointed down the road, where Kakashi was walking. Just then a black cat ran out of an ally, and dashed in front of Kakashi. He grinned, right on time.

The silver haired Jonin's eye smiled at his team, when he finally arrived. "Are you ready? Remember to come at me with the intent to kill or..."

"Um...sensei. Didn't you just see that black cat?" Naruto interrupted.

"What?"

"You always run around the village to remove the bad luck of seeing a black cat. Why is it any different this time... unless you've been lying all this time?" Sakura looked up in interest. She was getting just a bit annoyed at their sensei's continuous late appearances.

Kakashi grinned sheepishly behind his facemask, and scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah...I was just getting round to that. Before we have our little fight, we're going to all go for a little jog around the village to warm up."

"Nani!" Sakura yelled at Naruto, "Look where you're showing off got us. Now I have to get all sweaty and dirty running around the village."

"In the sentence: 'let's have a fight tomorrow to test your improvement', how do you define the word 'fight'." Naruto said sarcastically. "It's going to get a lot worse than a little running."

The group set off, Naruto leading the way, followed by a sulking Sakura, as mute Henged clone, and a lazy Jonin wishing he had brought his Icha Icha Paradise book with him, and he didn't have such an annoying team.

They were halfway round the village when Naruto reached into his pocket unnoticed, and dropped a small paper backed book onto the floor. Chuckling to himself, he continued on for a bit, then when he'd travelled far enough, stopped and turned round expectantly. One of his clones had raided the Hokage's office while he'd been knocked out, and picked up that little beauty. Not that he was interested in the perverted little thing, but it appeared someone else was.

'Icha Icha.' Kakashi thought to himself, and bent to pick the little book up. He almost dropped it in surprise, when he read the title. 'This isn't suppose to be released until next month!' Opening up the front cover, he almost fainted. 'Signed by the author!'

"Um Kakashi-sensei are you alright?" Sakura asked. Kakashi shook his head, any thoughts he had of reading it immediately smashed.

"Yeah."He sighed. "Let's go."

They completed the lap, and Kakashi was just about to start talking about their test when:

"Sensei. Is that the most recent Icha Icha book?" Sasuke asked.

"Why?" Kakashi asked, subconsciously holding the book behind his back a little tighter.

"I've started to read some of them, and thought, maybe if it was the most recent edition we should skip this training, and you should read that book. I bet you want to know what happens. I heard that..."

"Stop!" Kakashi almost yelled, ignoring the fact that Sasuke was about eleven, and was apparently reading smut. "Um, Sasuke has a point. Let's have this training session tomorrow, so get some training done for the rest of today, and Sasuke."

"Yeah."

"If you ever want to borrow one of my books...I have all of them...with duplicates."

---

Naruto spent the rest of the day on the Hokage Mountain, alternating between training with the techniques from earlier, and watching as his army of female clones terrorised the streets of Konoha, sending the men flying with females in hot pursuit waving their rolling pins or Kunai at the clones.

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AN: Huge thanks to the people who reviewed, as this story seemed quite popular, I wrote another chapter. I'll move the plot along a bit next chapter, and we might see Kyuubi, depends. If I went a bit too over he top with slapstic or you don't like the chapter tell me, and I might change a few things.

'Apex Predator' asked if he third person in this relationship was going to be Hinata, It won't be. As he said: there are loads of Naruto/Kyuubi/Hinata fics out there, plus I'm no her biggest fan. I haven't decided on who the pairing will be, apart from them not being Hinata, or Sakura. If you have any preferences, then tell me, I'm happy to listen to suggestions and reasons why.

I've made a few edits to the last chapter in terms of spellings, and ANs, but nothing big.

Next chapter won't be up for a bit, got a very important exam Tuesday, and really have to revise.

Thanks for reading, please tell me what you though!


	3. Koharu and Homura

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Puppet Legend

Chapter 3 - Koharu and Homura

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"So you had no idea that he was a fake then?" The Hokage said grimly, his hands interlaced resting on the desk in front of him.

"No! Although he did seem to be slightly more friendly than usual."

"Ok Naruto, you can go."

"Thanks old man, whose going to be on our team now? Can we go and look for Sasuke, I'm sure he had a good reason for leaving."

"We'll see Naruto, now get out of here, I need to have a meeting." The Hokage sighed, and massaged his temples. Once Naruto had left the room, he spoke again. "What did you think?"

Kakashi suddenly appeared out of his disguise in one corner of the room, along with the two elders, the Hokage's old teammates.

"Well it could all be a coincidence, maybe Sasuke used Naruto's prank as a distraction to get away, or if he did defect or get captured by Orochimaru, or another missing nin as you fear, then maybe they were the one to make the clone. We don't actually know when he even left, although I think he was acting funny when I met my team, three days ago."

"That would be the day..." The Hokage blushed slightly.

"...that Naruto did the prank." Kakashi completed, his smirk luckily hidden by the face mask.

"Just out of curiosity, how were you able to resist Naruto's Jutsu, especially with your... you know... hobbies?"

"I didn't notice anything; I was too busy reading my new book."

"You still haven't returned that you know." The Hokage said, before blushing again under the intense gaze of his old teammates.

"Anyway, I think we don't have enough evidence to either convict Naruto, or declare him innocent. I'll make sure a team of ANBU keep an eye on him for a while, but other than that, you're to continue as normal Kakashi."

"Who is going to be our new team member then?" The copy nin asked.

"A person called Sai. He's been closely linked with 'root' activity before, so make sure to keep a close eye on him. Follow him home sometimes. I want to know what he's reporting, and to who. This is the chance we need to get the evidence on Danzo. Konoha won't be safe till we've removed that old warmongering idiot from this village, and hopefully from this world."

Kakashi seemed a bit shocked at the Hokage's anger when it came to that particular subject, but didn't show it. "Hai Hokage-sama." He murmured, and was just about to leave when Koharu reached out a hand and tapped him on the shoulder.

"We're not finished yet, Hatake-san. We've been talking with the council, and have come to a different conclusion."

"Koharu! What are you doing? My word is law, and you'd do well to remember that." The third shouted getting up from the chair he'd been sat in.

"Not when the advisors, the Shinobi and civilian council all go against you. Plus we have backing from the Fire Country Daimyo, so Sarutobi my friend you're going to have to sit this one out."

"This is about the Kyuubi isn't it?" He shouted furiously. "Why can't you see Naruto is a different person, he's only a container. Must the world be full of ignorant people like you?"

"This is nothing personal Sarutobi, but the villagers demand protection. It is our duty as Shinobi, and as Councillors to keep Konoha safe, and if we have to go behind your back to achieve that, then so be it." She motioned for Homura to continue.

"Uzumaki Naruto will not be continuing as a ninja." He said gruffly, and held up a hand to stall the protests that Kakashi and the third were about to make. "That is, he will not become a good Shinobi. From now on, he will complete simple D-ranked missions on his own without a team, and will never surpass the rank of Genin. Sakura will join two other Shinobi, who have recently been moved into the top class in the Academy due to their ability, and will be finishing at the end of this year.

"But without the Uchiha, what's the point in me taking the team." Kakashi muttered, saying the first thing that came to his head.

"Are you not renowned for knowing over a thousand techniques? You're one of Konoha's best Jonin Also the two new members will be quite special. I hear that the current Hyuuga heir is not living up to expectations, so it is likely that soon she will become a branch house member, leaving her sister Hanabi to take the position. She is on course for becoming the rookie of her class. The other is Konohamaru, the thirds grandson, and no doubt one day the future Hokage. Both have been privately tutored, so are up to graduating level."

He turned round, and looked Kakashi in the eye. "I hear that Sakura is an intelligent girl, and has the chakra control required to become a medi-nin. I suggest you start to get her some training in this, as you will be going on lots of advanced missions, and a medic in the team would probably be useful. I want this team ready to show off to the world by the Chuunin exam after next, we need to show the other Shinobi nations our strength.

"But..." Kakashi tried to protest, but was quickly cut short by Koharu. "This group will become more famous then the legendary Sannin. You are being put in charge of their training because we trust you." She tried to smile sweetly at Kakashi, but it turned into more of a leer. "Besides, we aren't asking you, this is an order. If you don't do as you're told, and train these Genin to the best of your ability, then..." She trailed off. "We don't let traitors go free anymore, do we Sarutobi."

He Hokage hung his head in shame. They had never let him forget him letting Orochimaru go free. He felt helpless. How could his old teammates go over his head to the council, and even the Daimyo. Unfortunately he knew the answer. Naruto had never been treated fairly. He'd been beaten so many times, the old Hokage couldn't remember, no-one had ever treated him as a friend aside from the kindly Ramen stand owners, who couldn't be there for him all the time as they had to work, and then finally a few months ago, Iruka had managed to see past the 'Kyuubi brat' identity he village had made for him to the lonely child on the inside. And now, they were shattering his dreams, keeping him as a Genin, and having him do chores for the rest of him career. He could only think of one thing at that moment in time: Naruto was not going to like it, and he was not going to be the person to tell him. Sarutobi tried to stop thinking about it, and looked up to see Homura patting Kakashi on the back.

"...you won't regret this Kakashi. It'll be a privilege to teach a team with so much potential. Remember training Sakura isn't important. It's normal for Kunoichi to be weaker members of a team, so not much attention will be focused on her. If you can get here to a level where she can heal the other two, and doesn't need protecting, then do so, as long as it doesn't affect the other two's training. We're under a lot of pressure from the Hyuuga's, and the rest of the village, so make sure you make no mistakes."

Kakashi merely nodded glumly.

Sarutobi glared at the two of them. "You'd sacrifice another's Shinobi career, just to further someone else's, and then destroy another's out of fear?"

"We only do what has to be done Hokage-sama, surely you can see that." Koharu frowned at the anger in his voice.

"Alright, it appears that you have won this round my 'friends'. Now I want to make some things clear. While Naruto will remain a Genin with no teammate, it still remains my responsibility to give out missions, and I can give him whichever rank I choose. Similarly with the new Team Kakashi, I will only give out higher ranking missions when I think they are ready, and not before. Konohamaru, and Hanabi are still young compared to the other Genin, and I will not give them a mission that may risk their lives. And finally, I will call for Naruto now, and you can tell him the good news. I'll be down the road having a drink, if you need me, then don't bother coming." With that the third walked out the room, putting a Henge on himself, and going to the nearest bar to drown himself in sake.

---

Naruto, unaware of what had just happened to his Shinobi career, had just collapsed to the ground in exhaustion. He had been fighting against about ten shadow clones. Only two remained standing, for some reason patiently waiting a few meters away. The blond shuddered as his muscles screamed for him to give up, but he ignored them, gritted his teeth, and slowly climbed to his feet.

One clone attacked, drawing a Kunai, and swiping at Naruto. Not fast enough to dodge; it nicked his face, drawing blood. Naruto wiped it away, annoyed at himself. This was the first time they'd drawn blood during the fight, and he was getting careless. Jumping back a little way, he drew two shuriken, throwing them at both the clones. The both jumped out of the path of the weapons in opposite directions, and the real Naruto chased after the one on the left, throwing two more Shurikans at it. Both missed narrowly, and he had to adjust his path slightly to avoid getting smashed into the ground by the clone's foot which had been aimed at the back of his neck. The two traded punches and blocks, until the other clone returned, the two of them forcing Naruto to retreat again.

If there was one thing this fight had taught him, aside from the fact that getting kicked between the legs twice in a row hurt, it was that his Taijutsu really sucked. He'd learnt some of the Uchiha moves, but they didn't suit him. He was clumsy when completing a combination of punches and kicks, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't get the basic stance quite right. Sighing, he supposed he'd ask Kakashi-sensei to help him next time he saw him. Despite never helping before, Naruto hoped that with Sasuke gone, however much he regretted his new friend leaving, it would force Kakashi to focus on training him and Sakura more.

Naruto evaded the clones for a few more minutes, until he felt a small amount of chakra return. It just being enough, he waited till both the clones engaged him at once. Blocking a kick, he moved to punch it in the head, but twisted his hand at the last minute, pushing the clone backwards. He rushed through a set of hand seals, and raised his fingers to his mouth, breathing out a string of tiny fireballs. One clone was hit head on, and disappeared immediately with a puff of smoke, but the other managed to twist his body around the fireballs. Naruto quickly closed in on him, and a knock on the head sorted him out. Naruto grinned, despite the exhaustion he was feeling, and collapsed to the ground.

Half an hour later, Naruto was woken suddenly by a sharp pain in his side. Opening his eyes, he saw a Chuunin he didn't recognise glaring down at him, and kicking him again for good measure.

"The Hokage advisors want to see you."

"Why?"

"I don't know, and don't really care, so shut up you demon brat, and get moving."

Naruto returned the look the older nin was giving him, and climbed to his feet, being as slow as possibly to annoy the Shinobi. He knew that the man had just broken the Hokage's law, and could probably go to jail if he told the Hokage, but the council would find a way to get him out of it, and he'd simply be accused of lying. He followed the man to the Hokage tower, receiving the customary glares and abuse from the villagers and less tolerant Shinobi he passed.

When they arrived at the office, the chair the Hokage usually sat in was vacant. Instead an old man and woman stood to one side of the room, looking out the window.

"Where's the old man?" Naruto asked cheerfully as he entered the room.

"A bit more respect wouldn't go astray." The woman turned round and looked at Naruto with a steel gaze. "Now let me get one thing clear. The Hokage is not here, and we have the backing of the council and the fire lord, so we can do whatever we want."

"Baka, no-one's more powerful then the Hokage." Naruto shouted.

"At the moment, I'm afraid we are." The old man entered the conversation. "Could you leave us?" He added addressing the Chuunin standing at the door. When he had left, the old man motioned for Naruto to take a seat in front of the desk, and the two sat down in seats on the other side.

"What am I here for?" Naruto asked impatiently. "I've got training to do."

Koharu smiled humourlessly. "We've got some bad news for you. Due to your potential involvement in Uchiha Sasuke's escape, your obvious lack of Shinobi conduct, and other reasons that we can't mention, you will be remaining a Genin for the rest of your career."

Naruto jumped to his feet sending the chair skidding across the room behind him. "That's bull shit! You're doing this because of the Kyuubi. I'm not it, it's just sealed inside me, can't anyone see that."

"How do you know about the demon, boy." He said sharply, ignoring Naruto's outburst.

"Mizuki-teme told me about it, but who cares, I'm still a human."

"Every seal will eventually break, then you'll be a demon, or a human wielding the demons powers." Homura said, ignoring Naruto's outburst.

"Don't you trust the Yondaime? He was the strongest Hokage Konoha had ever had, and you think he'd let the Kyuubi escape."

"That seal is very advanced. Who knows what could happen, especially with it being on _you_. We don't want to take the chance of you using the power on an advanced mission, or another Shinobi releasing the beast, so you will only do D-ranked missions, and will not be taught any further techniques as that could trigger the seal."

"But that's stupid. I don't want the dam foxes power. I've never even known about it till a few months ago, and nothing out of the ordinary has ever happened to me."

"**Hello."**

Naruto glanced round. "Whose there."

"**I'm sorry for the misery I've caused." **The voice continued, in a low melodic voice.

"Who is it, where are you." Naruto was looking round the room frantically trying to find where the voice came from.

"What are you talking about kid? There's no-one here but us. You'll be doing two D-ranked missions a day, on half pay, as you should be able to complete them easily. You can leave now."

"**I look forward to meeting you Namikaze Naruto"**

Naruto sat completely still. What had that voice called him?

"We said leave!" Koharu shouted at him.

Naruto eyes slowly focused on the two people in front of him. "Uh yeah, well see ya later then." He said quietly, his confusion fortunately keeping his temper in check.

Naruto walked to his apartment in silence. Where had that voice come from? Why couldn't the old farts hear it? And finally, he was thinking back to Sasuke's words:

'_In the end it will get to you...__ If I were you I'd leave'_

Funny voices or not, Sasuke was right. He'd had enough of being treated like a demon. Maybe it would be better for everyone if he just left. Then he remembered Sasuke's warning about the Att-ak-ski r whatever they were called. At least in Konoha the Hokage would protect him. Would he? He hadn't been there this afternoon, hadn't done anything about him being a Genin for the rest of his life. Naruto sighed, and tried to stop thinking about it, it just made his head hurt.

He arrived at the apartment, quickly prepared and ate some instant Ramen, then lay down on the thin mattress he'd managed to salvage from the village dump, and shut his eyes.

He shivered slightly; it had suddenly gotten very cold. His felt something on his back, a few seconds later identifying it as water. He jumped to his feet; all sense tiredness seemed to have completely left. Looking around, he found himself in what appeared to be a giant sewer; a few inches of water that he'd been lying in covered the floor, the walls glowing with a strange orange light.

"**Welcome to my home."**

**

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**

AN: Thanks for the reviews people have been sending in. They help give me motivation to write this, and give me ideas. I know roughly what's going to happen next, but haven't got anything solid written down, so seeing people's thoughts really help.


	4. Kyuubi

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Puppet Legend

Chapter 4 - Kyuubi

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"_**Welcome to my home."**_

Naruto looked around him in surprise, how did he get here? There was only one way to go, so Naruto took it cautiously. The passage turned a few corners, before Naruto found himself in a giant room, about the size of the whole apartment block he lived in. Three of the walls were stone, with a strange orange tinted liquid seeping through the gaps in the brickwork, and down to the floor, which was already covered in the stuff. The fourth consisted of a huge rusted iron bar gate, reaching all the way up to the ceiling.

'I wander what's inside?' Naruto thought, getting a bit excited, despite knowing he should be more scared. The bars were wider than Naruto and the gaps between twice as big.

He wasn't disappointed when a set of huge red eyes appeared behind the bars, about fifty feet up in the air. Naruto managed to hold himself from making a noise, but couldn't help stepping back a few paces.

"Who are you?" He managed to stutter out, looking at his feet to avoid the piercing red eyes.

"**A friend."**

Naruto gasped: that voice. This is what had been taking too him. Plucking up his courage, he asked another question.

"Where are we?"

A high melodic laugh filled the room, and Naruto looked up to see a face to go with the red eyes had come into the light. The giant red fox smiled, baring its teeth. "Afraid are we?"

"No." Naruto said defiantly, suddenly realizing something in his mind. "You're the Kyuubi."

"Oow, I'm famous. Yes my loyal subject, I am the great Kyuubi-Kitsune, lord of the foxes, and the tailed beasts, most powerful being on the planet."

"You're a girl." Naruto blurted out fairly incredulously.

"What gave it away?" She asked mockingly. "I washed all my make up off yesterday, even forgot to comb my hair... oh I know, maybe it was my voice. Anyway, what's wrong with me being a girl?"

"Nothing, it's just, all the stories...I assumed..."

"Naturally, even the Romans thought I was a male?"

"What! That's millions of years ago." Naruto said in astonishment, recalling a particularly boring lecture of Iruka's, something about an old world with flying machines bigger then houses, and little boxes with flashing lights, but he'd ignored most of that, even thought it was slightly more interesting then what coloured robes the different kage's wore…

"Only joking, I'm not that old." She said lightly.

"So where are we again?"

"Oh yeah, sorry I forgot, we're inside your mind."

"What." Naruto exclaimed!

"Your head, your body, whatever you want to call it. This is where the Yondaime put me. Those are the seals right there." She pointed to the middle of the bars where a small scrap of paper was, reading: 'seal'. "That's the only thing that's keeping me from escaping."

"Why can't you remove it?" Naruto asked, looking first at the huge Kyuubi in the cage, then at the tiny seal.

The fox giggled. "You don't think I've tried. No, I can't move anything but Chakra through these bars, and when I do, it automatically becomes yours to control. Also, if it were removed, then you'd probably be killed as an after effect of me being released, and I'd die, as my soul would still be linked to yours.

"You don't seem to mind all this, you're basically in prison."

"Yep, I've had eleven years to brood, so now I get someone to talk to, I'm all excited. Fortunately it hasn't been all doom and gloom down here. The seal grants me a fascinating insight into your thoughts; however I can only see things you're focusing on enough to visualize.

"What, you can see what I'm thinking?" Naruto blushed as a sudden thought appeared in his head.

The Kyuubi started giggling. "Gosh Naruto, I never knew you thought that way about that _Sasuke-kun_."

"Hey I didn't mean any of that, I didn't enjoy that kiss with Sasuke honest, I was just thinking that if I was gay..." Naruto had turned bright red, and tried to ignore the giant foxes laugh.

"Anyway, down to business, this is the first time I've been able to contact you, due to the continuous weakening of the seal over time that will naturally occur. This will cause a few side effects like more of my chakra will become available to you, and get slowly get converted into your Chakra, you'll change appearance slightly, and eventually, you'll be free of the tricks that the seal plays on your mind, making you more likely you to get angry, and encouraging you to use my powers.

"Finally the seal will reach a point, and will start to draw on your chakra. This will remove the chance of you turning into a mini me if you got really angry, luckily this hasn't happened yet, but if you take much more of my chakra then when you fought Mizuke, then I suspect something like this may happen. Also your chakra reserves will increase more over time, and as my reserves constantly grow, your strength will never stop until you die. As my Chakra will no longer have to pass through the Yondaime's, instead yours, it will be more freely available to you, and more will be converted. You getting all this?"

Naruto grinned sheepishly, and scratched the back of his head.

The huge fox groaned. "A seal needs a constant flow of Chakra to work. When your seal stops drawing on the Yondaime's, it will start to draw a tiny amount on your reserves, not that you'll notice, which will mean your reserves will increase, as more will be able to pass through the seal, however you'll look a bit more foxy, and you won't be able to draw on my power as much."

"OK, so when's this going to happen, and how do I get out of here, won't I wake up soon?"

"You should start to feel the change over the next few years; I'm not sure when the process will be finished. Time inside your head is slightly different. Your sleep is split up into different sections, one of which is called the REM sleep. This is when all dreams occur, so this is when your brain is most active, and I can speak to you easiest."

"So I'm dreaming?"

"No. I took you out of your dream and brought you here to talk to me, if you want to leave, then just go to sleep. When you get tired in here, it shows your time is up, and your either waking up, or the next stage of the sleep cycle is happening. This will happen two or three times a night, but I let you sleep through the first two. I believe you've just been having a rather exciting game of kiss chase with Sasuke-_kun_, I'm afraid we didn't get to see the end as I wanted to talk to you…shame, he had just cornered you, and was reaching out to…"

"I was not!"

"Yes you were" She giggled, which didn't quite suit the giant fox, and continued. "I can prove it to you if you like, go back to sleep, and..."

"Wait a minute, despite me not wanting to see myself getting raped by Sasuke, how can you see my dreams."

"Easy, I'm in your head remember, so can see things your focusing on. Luckily there's nothing else to occupy your attention but the dream, so I sit in on them every now and then. Luckily the 'Sakura-chan' dreams have dried up recently. If I saw that cow hit you one more time, I'd break out of the seal and kill her if it cost me my life." She spat out the name, of Naruto's ex-crush with particular venom, causing Naruto to raise his eyebrows, but he decided not to mention anything.

"So what do you want to talk to me about apart from this complicated seal thingy, Kyuubi-san?"

"Your training…"

"Yey."

"…Is crap!"

"Doh."

"You've gotten better, but you still spend far too much time eating Ramen, you're getting fat, you only know a few fire Jutsu's, which aren't suited to you, and you have absolutely no Taijutsu or Kenjutsu style or ability at the moment, not to mention Genjutsu."

"What, I'm not that bad, I can use the Uchiha stance quite well, and I beat all those clones. I don't need a sword, and Genjutsu's for wussies."

Naruto felt a sudden wave of Chakra wash over him, sending him flying backwards into the floor knocking the wind out of him. He looked up to see a annoyed fox, nine tailed waving, and snarling down at the blond.

"Genjutsu is not for wussies! Back when I was alive, and not stuck in some tubby homosexual's body, my speciality was Genjutsu. I could make people die from their own screaming; I would turn that pathetic Sharingan inside out, literally. I'd make people drown in their own tears and…"

"Small interruption, is that even possible, not trying to be rude, but when I cry, I don't think there would be enough to drown in…" Seeing the evil glare the fox was giving him, Naruto cringed a bit, and lay back down again. "Guess I'll just shut up eh?"

"Probably a cleaver thing to do, and yes it is possible, one day I'll prove it to you, if I ever get out of this place."

"But I'm hopeless at Genjutsu, I'll never be able to use it so what's the point."

"You need to learn how to detect it, and how to cancel it. Similarly, there's one of the seven swordsmen of the mist working from Akatsuki, so you'll need to be able to use a sword or some sort of weapon."

"There the guys that are after me, how do you know about them, I thought they were really secretive?"

"You don't think I wouldn't know about a bunch of humans wanting to steal my powers. I've known about them for ages, but wasn't worries because I'd have easily killed them all. I guess I got a bit arrogant, and ignored them. Now they're a big threat, and you need to start training to fight them immediately."

"What do I need to do?"

"Go to that place the Uchiha showed you tomorrow morning, and take the weapons, and whatever else you think might be useful. Then get a few weeks supply of food, create a clone to leave behind, and find a nice clearing in the forest. I won't be able to speak to you for a while, as it's taking a lot of effort for me to talk to you like this. I'll have to rest for a week at least, it's incredibly difficult to force a connection between the two of us during your sleep, and to be able to summon you here, you know. See you in a few days." And with that, the prison doors, with the giant fox behind them faded out of Naruto's view, and he slipped into uneasy sleep.

The next day, he woke up clutching his head in pain. After downing some fruit, a few aspirins and half a gallon of water, he set off towards the other side of town.

Twenty minutes later Naruto entered the storage room of the deserted clan house, and began sifting through the piles of scrolls and other extraneous items.

On the other side of town a white haired old man, with red marks running down his face, was interrupted from his morning…entertainment, by a streak of orange shooting into the females section of the hot springs, followed closely by four black ones. One quick puff of smoke and a severe beating later; four men staggered out of the hot springs clutching a various assortment of extremely painful looking injuries. The old Sannin grinned, for once in his long and perverted life; he had the pleasure of watching righteous anger, while not being on the receiving end.

Minutes later, Naruto was ambling across town; a storage scroll tucked under one arm. He nodded to the two gate guards, quickly explaining his need to test out some rather explosive new Jutsu's, and wandering off into the forest.

Just as the two guards were finishing their duty, they were confronted by a surprisingly exhausted looking ANBU unit, and fortunately enough they were able to help. Yes of course they'd seen Naruto; he'd entered the village a few hours ago, and mentioned he was returning home.

In a clearing about ten miles away from Konoha, Naruto collapsed to the ground in exhaustion, the remains of a partially formed chakra strings fading away from one of his fingers.

* * *

Thanks for the great response I've gotten from the first three chapters I've posted, I know I haven't posted for a while, but when I get this exam on Friday out of the way, I'm free to write…until my next coursework deadline :(

I get partial insomnia, and as I've know a lot about the subject, I thought I'd add a bit on info in there. If I wasn't doing my current course, I'd probably do psychology, I find it really interesting…yeah, you really didn't need to know all of that but oh well.

A lot of people mentioned Konoha burning, and potential pairings. Neither of these topics will occur anytime soon, so I can't promise anything. I usually reply to reviews after posting the next chapter, so thanks to everyone who's reviewed, it's incredibly helpful and encouraging.

Next Chapter: Training, and maybe another meeting with Kyuubi.


	5. Misumi Tsurugi

Characters are Kabuto's sidekicks in the Chunin exam if you can't remember.

Enjoy.

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Puppet Legend

Chapter 5 - Misumi Tsurugi

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Pain coursed through his body, as Naruto collapsed to the ground in exhaustion for the third time that day. He'd been working on the Chakra string technique for the whole week he'd been living in the clearing. Usually he found it difficult to concentrate on one thing for a short amount of time, but this technique had him hooked. He didn't know why, but two hours into his training, when he'd first been able to move a small piece of wood into the air for a few seconds, he'd been enthralled by the technique. He'd been working on it for at least twelve hours each day, spending the rest of his time sleeping, getting food and exercising.

One of the Uchiha books he'd brought with him detailed every possible exercise to help increase physical fitness, strength, agility, speed, Chakra reserves, and Chakra control. Every morning he'd wake up, and spend about an hour in total, tree jumping to the nearest village outside Konoha, hengeing into an ordinary person, buying his supplies for the day, then running home. He'd then spend another hour training his body, then the next hour training his Chakra system.

He'd already managed to climb to the top of the tree he was practicing on, a huge oak, but was working on his speed climbing the tree, and the length of time he could stand on the underside of one of the branches.

Using the book he'd figured out that the reason he hadn't been able to do the simple Bunshin at the academy, was due to his huge chakra reserves, and as the Bunshin required little amounts of Chakra, he was unable to do the move. Now all he needed to do was use his Chakra control training, and modify the amount of Chakra he used when doing the Jutsu.

He had been spending some time increasing his reserves, as even he got tired when he summoned ten Shadow Clones to fight against for a long amount of time, and as he was getting better at defeating them every time, he needed to be able to summon more.

He would make the ten clones after his hour of Chakra training, and fight till he'd destroyed them all. Then after a short pause for lunch, practice the chakra string technique.

So far he'd managed to get the puppet to move a small amount, however not co-ordinated, and nowhere near controlled enough. The technique involved manipulating the chakra in the string, so the string would change shape, and move the object. All ten fingers were needed to control the puppet, however it would take a lot of skill to be able to control al ten at one time. Once this stage was mastered, fewer fingers could be used, but it would be a lot more difficult to direct.

Naruto lay on the ground and watched as a squirrel entered the clearing, and hopped across the ground to within a few meters of where he was lying. Forgetting how tired he was, he cautiously stretched a hand towards the little creature. Quickly making a chakra string on the end of one finger, he extended it to the small creature, then jerked his little finger, and watched as the confused animal flew through the air towards him. He caught the small creature, then released in on the ground grinning to himself.

'Bully.'

"Kyuubi, where are you."

'I thought we'd gone through this?' She asked disbelievingly.

"I mean, why aren't we inside my head, how can you talk to me out here."

'I'm talking to your mind. You can hear me whenever I say anything, the seal's been too strong up till now for anything to get though. This is taking a lot of effort speaking to you like this, so I'll be brief. How many Kage-Bunshin can you make?'

"A couple of hundred I guess, but I can only keep about twenty around for a decent amount of time. Why?"

'I was going to save this till later, but since you're trying that puppet technique, I'll tell you now. When a Shadow Clone is dispelled, the maker learns exactly what the clone has done. What it's seen heard, smelled, whatever.'

"I know that, I've seen the old man Hokage do it loads of times. He says their copies of him, so they'd do the paper work just as good as he would.

'Yes, but has he explained how to use it for training. Whatever the clone does, you will learn when it's dispelled, that means you get all the clones knowledge, just not its physical skills. Therefore it would be pointless to get the clones to work out, however as Chakra control relies a lot on the knowledge required to control and bend the will of your chakra, also learning and practicing Jutsu's. Lots of techniques require trial and improvement for each individual to be able to use them properly. If you do this with your clones it would take a lot of time and energy.

'Cool! What else.' Naruto asked slightly impatiently, eager to learn more about these new secrets of the techniques.

There are other major limitation of the techniques is the information rush from dispelling a clone can often give headaches, and sometimes do permanent brain damage. Therefore you need to be careful about when you dispel the clones. If the clones have been doing mundane tasks, then the effects of this will not be as much than if they'd been reading a book of Jutsu's for example, for the same amount of time. So remember to change any clone that's been around for a long time, and start with a new one, or the information will build up.

'Another neat trick you haven't learnt yet is spreading out different amounts of chakra to different clones. The more added the more force that will be needed to dispel it. Also when you dispel a clone by choice, the remaining chakra the clone has, will return to you, and replenish your supplies. It won't be as much, as some will have been used, however it will still make a difference. '

'I've got to go now. Mess around with the Kage-Bunshin, and not in _that_ way, and keep going with your other training. I'll see you soon.' And before Naruto had a chance to say anything, her voice was gone, and Naruto's mind was once again silent. Not sure what would happen, he thought a thank you to the demon, then set about exploring the Kage-Bunshin.

Over the next few days Naruto didn't fight with his clones in the morning as he did for the last week. Instead, he would summon them the moment he woke up, and then for the rest of the day they'd split up and work on Chakra control, and the Chakra string technique. The real Naruto spent his time doing extra physical work, he started speed work, and more work on expanding his Chakra reserves. At the end of the day, he would remember to dispel the clones with a ten minutes gap between each one, and despite him still getting a headache; Naruto never had any trouble sleeping due to the fatigue that constantly gripped his body.

On the ninth day, Naruto woke up at around seven in the morning as usual, and immediately he could sense something was wrong. He remembered the techniques he'd been learning the day before; sensing other people's chakra. Now he was pretty sure he could sense someone nearby. He wondered how long they'd been there for, whether they'd just arrived, or he had only recently been able to sense them.

There were two sources, as far as he could make out, going off at about ninety degrees to each other into the forest. Naruto climbed to his feet quietly, and crept into the forest towards the person he thought was closest, and found them a few minutes later. He wore a Konoha headband, and a black cloth, covering most of his face, leaving only his glasses covered eyes visible to the watching Naruto.

"Come out already, I can hear you." The ninja said, silently drawing a Kunai from a pouch at his side. Naruto shrugged and jumped down from the tree. He already knew his hiding place would be discovered eventually.

"You're the Kyuubi-brat!" The ninja muttered in shock, then smirked behind his face mask. "My master will be pleased when I bring your tied up body to him."

"Um, whose your master?" Naruto asked. This fellow wasn't acting like your average Konoha Nin.

"The mighty Snake Sannin himself: Orochimaru. Now to make things easy, and stop you from getting spoiled too much, come over here, and I promise not to hurt you too much."

Naruto ignored the guy, quickly making five Kage-Bunshin and sending them into the forest to hide while he was talking. Without answering, he jumped forward, and sent a kick for the man's side. It was easily dodged, but the Kunai to the heart from one of the shadow clones from behind wasn't.

He quickly dispelled the blood covered clone, and looked down at the ninja in disgust. He'd heard rumours about the Snake traitor, and had no remorse about killing one of his supporters.

He was just reaching his hand into the pockets on the man's jacket looking for anything that would identify the ninja, when he felt something hard close around his hand. He tried to pull away, but found it stuck between two smooth solid objects.

"Like my technique. It allows me to move my joints out of their normal positions. I can literally move any part of my body anywhere." He was still lying on the floor, but rolled onto his back, yanking Naruto's hand painfully in the process. "I used my rib cage to move my heart out of the way of your attack just in time to avoid major damage. You caught me off guard last time, but this time you don't stand a chance."

Naruto merely smiled, stabbed into the man with another Kunai, around the spot where his hand was trapped. Feeling it come free, he leapt back putting some space between the two opponents. Immediately locking his hands together in the predictable hand seal, he created four Kage-Bunshin, and sent them at the spy.

The first ran at the man, dodging past a fist, and aimed a punch for the side of his head. His hand was caught by a hideously disfigured shoulder joint intercepting the punch. Not giving the clone a chance to move, he landed a fist in its stomach. The second came from behind, forcing the man to spin round, and trade a few blows before it too was dispelled. The last two jumped in, one on either side and started to attack. One of them managed to graze the side of his head with an elbow, but it seemed the man was having little problems fending off their attacks. Sensing this, one drew back, and threw three shuriken at him.

The unidentified ninja jumped up into the air, easily avoiding the projectiles, and pulled a scroll from his back, before smeared from blood on it. The scroll unravelled, and sent a huge wave of weapons at the two clones, easily dispelling them, then turning to the real Naruto.

The ninja smirked when about five of the weapons hit the blonde, causing him to stagger backwards and collapse to the ground.

"We've been watching your training. You may try hard, but you have no talent. I can understand Orochimaru wanting the Uchiha, but I don't know why he wants someone as worthless…" He stopped, and looked down at his chest to see five Kunai sticking out of him. What have you done?!"

"I had five shadow clones there all alone." Naruto grinned, standing up from his position on the ground, unharmed.

"I would have noticed them…how are you not hurt?" The man asked, collapsing onto his knees in pain.

"I wanted to test out a Genjutsu on you. I may not be able to do them myself, however she can." Naruto motioned to one side where the puppet stood in the shadows, vague outlines of chakra strings connecting the two. "Looks like it was successful, and all that hard work wasn't for nothing, I'll…What's happening?" Naruto asked fearfully as he felt a cold hand touch the back of his head, and he felt some of his Chakra slowly leave his body.

"You've killed my teammate, thanks. It just means I don't have to share the reward money when I get back with you and the Uchiha and Lord Orochimaru will be even more pleased with me. Now let me introduce you to my Chakra stealing technique."

* * *

AN: My first fighting scene, even if it is small, so please tell me how I did! Sorry for the wait, see my profile for ongoing excuses.

I love the Snow! Had no lessons for a week :)


	6. Akado Yoroi

Chapter 6 - Akado Yoroi

"…_Now let me introduce you to my Chakra stealing technique."_

Naruto cursed, and tried to turn round, but the ninja now had one hand round his neck in a headlock, and the other holding a Kunai to his back.

"Don't move, and you'll live. I won't take enough to kill you, just leave you unconscious, so don't struggle." The man hissed in his ear.

Naruto groaned to himself. He'd used a lot of Chakra taking down the other guy, and even if he escaped now, he wouldn't have enough to challenge this one. First things first though, how was he going to get away. Using his diminishing reserves, Naruto pushed as much as he could out of his chakra release points on his back. He twisted round to punch the ninja in the face, and as he suspected he didn't wait, and went to stab him in the back, however the Kunai was stopped inches from his skin by the blue wall of chakra he had build up.

He quickly bit down on the nin's arm, his elongated canines sinking into the arm. Naruto felt the grip around his throat loosen slightly, and he was able to slip out of the choke hold, and jump back a few meters.

"I wasn't expecting that, but I've already taken too much for you to be able to fight me."

Naruto could see he was right, but chose to try and delay so he could come up with a plan. "What does Orochimaru want me for?"

"You'll find out soon enough." The man growled, and continued walking forward towards Naruto.

"What, you don't know? What sort of useless spy are you?"

"Such an arrogant little boy, Lord Orochimaru doesn't want you, he wants what's in your belly."

Naruto wasn't listening to the spy though; instead he was listening to a different voice.

'**Let him touch you again.'**

'But.'

'**Just do it.'**

'Alright' "I want to meet this Lord guy, maybe we can come to some sort of agreement."

The spy didn't believe his ears, and looked at Naruto like he was crazy. "You what?"

"I want you to take me to Orochimaru. It shouldn't be that difficult to understand."Naruto said again impatiently.

"OK, drop your weapons and come over here then." Naruto did as he asked, and felt the man touch his skin again, and his chakra begin to leave him again, however this time it felt a bit different, like it didn't want to leave.

Suddenly the man fell to the floor. His eyes turned red, and he started to trash around wildly, red sparks flying off his body, before after a little while he slowed down and stopped, laying still on the ground.

'What did you do to him?' Naruto asking incredulously.

'**Fed him some of my Chakra.'** Kyuubi panted, '**This is what would've happened if the fourth hadn't sealed me in a new born baby like you. You've grown up with my chakra, so you can stand it, and control some, however to everyone else, it's poison.'**

'Cool, thanks for saving me'

'**That's alright, I guess I owe it to you. Forcing that chakra into your system has knackered me, it's going to take a while for me to get partially thought the seal anytime soon, so you'll be on your own.' **

'OK, have a good time.'

'**Yeah, something like that.'** She muttered, so Naruto could only just hear. '**Remember to train, and I'll give you some interesting stuff when we next see each other. I think it's time for you to leave Konoha soon. That was only two people, there will probably be another member somewhere, so watch out. Good luck.'** And with that she was gone.

Naruto frowned, and gradually got up looking around him. Weapons littered the ground, with a lot of blood surrounding the two dead bodies. Naruto quickly checked their pulse to make sure, then collected any decent looking weapons, sealed them in a scroll, and made his way back to the temporary base he had set up for himself.

--------

Naruto made it back to his apartment, and started planning for the next day. He'd sealed anything of value in scrolls, and left them in a hiding place a few miles out of Konoha. He was going to head in the general direction of wave country however ever since he and his team had saved wave, the country always went to Konoha to get it's missions, so the place would be crawling with Konoha Shinobi. There were however lots of small nations without a Shinobi village in that area, so he wouldn't have to worry too much about where he was going, more of how he was going to get there, and what he was going to do when he left.

He'd decided that since he wouldn't have another sensei apart from Kyuubi who didn't know many human techniques, he would have to _borrow_ a few things before he went. Naruto hadn't had time to look at any other techniques on the secret scroll before Mizuki had found him, however he had flipped though, and thought at the tome some of them looked interesting. That would be a good place to start, however there were only a maximum of twenty techniques on that scroll.

He debated for a minute or two, if he stole the scroll, then he'd become a missing nin, in fact if he left anyhow, he'd still become a missing nin, whichever way you looked at it, he was still an active member of the Konoha Shinobi force…

----------

"Danzu, come in quickly, or Sarutobi will be onto us." A black door in a back ally opened, and the man was quickly ushered inside before the door slammed shut.

"Of course, Councillor-sama, I trust everything went as planned, when I met the old man a few hours ago he looked quite unhappy about something."

"Of course, but as you said there was nothing he could do. The Kyuubi brat isn't going anywhere, and we've got him angry enough." Honoma said looking at the bandage-wrapped man, only illuminated by the lone candle burning in the small room.

"The person we were looking for is coming tomorrow, we can lay the trap then. He says it will be possible, but the transition must be complete up to two tails before we do anything. Sai, keep a close eye on the target, we don't want him slipping off."

The two elders gasped as the slender boy appeared from the dark, brushed past them, and left though the door they came in through. "Are you sure he won't give us away?" Koharu asked nervously, glancing back at Danzu to see him grinning smugly.

"My men are emotionless, they live to serve me, and my plans. The old fool was wise to break up my division, however he could never truly stomp us out. Sai is my number one servant. He's young so no-one suspects him. He was recently keeping an eye on the Uchiha before he left. On that subject, I have a Root team following him, when do you think you'll be ready?"

"We're looking for willing volunteers to bear his children currently. A few decided to start blabbing though, so we had to kill them, and pause for a few weeks to stop the Hokage becoming suspicious, but I'd say we'll have ten by the end of next week." Koharu said, smiling at the prospect of having Konoha's most famous clan be restored.

"Excellent. How is Kakashi and his team doing. Konohamuru will be having some more private lessons with Ebisu, to make sure he doesn't become too much like Sarutobi."

-------

Naruto woke the next day, and after a few morning exercises, a shower and breakfast, he made his way to the Hokage office.

"Old man."

"Hello Naruto, how have you been getting on?" The Hokage sat slumped at his desk, and didn't even bother to look up when Naruto entered.

"Tough day eh Jiji?"

"People used to respect the position of Hokage. First the fire lord, and the councillors order me to stop you becoming a proper Shinobi, now if we catch Sasuke, he's going to have to sleep with ten fan girls of his to revive the clan." The old man sighed, and absently span his Hokage hat in his hand.

Naruto couldn't help let out a giggle. "Poor guy, let's hope he doesn't get caught eh?"

"For once, I'm going to have to agree with you. This village's done nothing but worship him ever since the massacre, I don't really blame him wanting to get away from it all. You and him, two very different ends of the spectrum, yet you became friends."

"What…how do you know that?"

The Hokage looked guilty as Naruto stared at him. "The Chrystal ball… I was checking up on you. Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone."

"What's this ball?"

The Hokage smiled, and began telling the blond before him:

"_Jiji, these nasty men came and tried to get me, I couldn't get away, and they kicked me into a wall, then everything went black, and I woke up in a dustbin."_

_The old man looked at the four year old Naruto who was covered in cuts and bruises. Seeing nothing serious, the Hokage quickly healed most of them._

"_Why do they all hate me?" Naruto asked in such a small pitiful voice the Hokage nearly started crying. He wanted to tell the little boy, but he knew Naruto would be much worse off if he knew he had a giant demon sealed in his stomach. Maybe he could distract him. _

"_Come and sit on my knew Naruto, and I'll show you a very special item the Hokage get's." He pulled out the Chrystal ball, and began to show Naruto around Konoha from above, looking in on a Jonin training session and a few of the classrooms in the academy. He made sure to keep away from his usual haunts… cough cough hot springs. He knew if he turned Naruto into a pervert, somehow Minato would come back from the grave and haunt him for the rest of his life. _

_The Hokage ignored the mountain high pile of paperwork sitting on his desk, and spent the rest of the day with Naruto. _

The Hokage snapped out of it, and looked at Naruto standing before him. "I didn't mention the bit about the hot springs did I?" He suddenly asked, looking panicky.

"No, but I'm starting to piece a few things together…" Naruto grinned at the horrified look on the face of the village leader.

"Yes well. What did you want Naruto?" The Hokage asked briskly, trying to hide his blush.

"I want to retire. Being a Shinobi is nothing if I can't get promoted, I won't be able to become Hokage, or become an ANBU, and I won't get recognised, so there's nothing left for me."

"I'm so sorry Naruto, to be blunt though retiring isn't that easy. People saw a way round the system a long time ago, and when they wanted to leave for another village they simply retired, and joined another village. You won't be retiring from just this village, but from every Shinobi village there are in the known world. When you retire you can never go back, you'll be stuck as a citizen or mercenary, or whatever for the rest of your life."

"Don't expect people to employ you either. Mercenaries don't get a lot of respect from Missing nin's, or from Bounty collectors either."

"What do you mean, Naruto asked, confused that people who had betrayed their village would reject people who'd run away.

"People who leave normally from a village are often spies trying to catch missing nin's off guard, their names won't appear in the bingo book, so nobody knows if their stories true or not. Also their viewed as cowards, who aren't strong enough to take on the hunter nins."

"So I should run away?"

"Do what you must Naruto, but be careful, the elders are planning something, and Danzu left the country for a few weeks recently. He's back now, so you should be extra careful."

"One last think Jiji, just for the record, seeing as I rescued it from being stolen, where is the secret scroll being kept."

The Hokage smirked, looked around him conspiratorially, and whispered. "I'm afraid I can't tell Genin that all the secret scrolls are found in this office behind that picture over there, and that all it takes is a drop of my blood and a key to open."

Naruto grinned slyly, "Shame, I'd just like to know that Konoha's secrets are safe. I hope you keep the key safe."

"Of course, I usually sleep with it on, however sometimes when I'm really forgetful I leave it in the top draw, along with my Lucky Kunai, that I accidentally stabbed myself with this morning."

"Excellent. I feel safe in the knowledge that no evil people can steal Konoha's secrets." Naruto smiled at the Hokage and got up to leave.

"Naruto, before you go." The blond turned around and looked at the old man, who was looking slightly worried. "You may find some facts that have been hidden from you in there. It was not my intention to keep them from you, I promised not to…" Naruto simply nodded. "Good luck Naruto, and know that Konoha will be a lesser, much more boring place without you."

"Thanks you…Hokage-sama."

AN: If there's any spelling/grammar errors, I'm sorry this was a bit rushed, however I will check over it again in a week or so and make any changes that are needed.

Thanks for the great response to the last chapter. I don't have the time at the moment to answer the reviews, but I'll get round to it eventually.

See ya.


	7. Sai

Long time no see. Hope you enjoy the chapter.

* * *

Puppet Legend

Chapter 7: Sai

* * *

"Wake up."

Naruto opened his eyes and was about to say something when he felt a hand cover his mouth. He struggled for a moment, but found his limbs were pinned to the ground.

"Keep quiet, I'm here to help." The voice whispered again, betraying absolutely no emotion. "You must leave Konoha immediately; they are planning something to do with you."

Feeling the hand leave his mouth, but still being unable to move, Naruto tried to see where the voice was coming from, but the room was pitch black. "How do you know?"

"Because I'm under orders to watch and make sure you don't escape, however I'm working undercover for the Hokage."

"Show yourself." Naruto ordered, glaring round trying to guess where the voice was coming from.

"You need to leave now. I'm going to knock myself out so my cover isn't blown. I suggest you collect up what you need and go immediately. They mentioned that someone was coming tomorrow, so you need as much time as possible."

"How can I trust you."

"You call the Hokage 'Old man', and he recently told you about the Hokage Chrystal Ball."

There was silence for a few seconds before the blond felt his arms and legs being freed. He quickly crossed to the wide open window of his apartment, but the street outside was deserted.

Five hours and a hundred miles later, Naruto suddenly received a set of memories from a dispelled clone. Four people had taken him early in the morning to a clearing in a forest. Tormented and beat him around for a few minutes, then when they saw they were getting no reaction out of him, stabbed him in the eye with a Kunai which dispelled the clone.

Naruto shook his head in confusion, and looked out at the huge expanse of water stretching out in front of him. Sighing, he stepped out onto the water, and began to run.

* * *

"What can I get for you sir?"

"One bowl of everything you've got."

The elderly lady serving Naruto rubbed her hands together at the money she would make from this order, and hopefully of many more to come. "So when did you arrive in Yokohama? I haven't seen you around, and the last boat arrived over a month ago." The lady asked, while bustling around the kitchen preparing the food.

"Oh I've been around." Naruto said nonchalantly, before quickly changing the subject. The blond spent a good hour at the stand eating and listening to the stories the grey haired Ramen chef had to tell, which, if he had to be perfectly honest, weren't that exciting. Yokohama country had fought for its independence from Fire country during the second great Shinobi war, and had managed to drive the Leaf village forces from the small island that lay about thirty miles of the east coast of Fire country.

No-one had ever returned to reclaim the land due to the poor economical state of the island, and the ever decreasing population. The country had nothing going for it, which obviously led to most of the population moving away, but for Naruto it was perfect. As far as he could tell there were no other Shinobi on the island so he could remain hidden, and due to the still strong resentment towards Konoha, even if he was found out, it would be very unlikely that he would be sold out to the Hunter Nin's. He could do the few odd jobs to pay for himself, while spending the rest of the time training.

Right now however he had just ran across the top of thirty miles of water, and even with his immense stamina, he was totally worn out. He finished his ramen with a contented sigh, paid the lady and left for the small three room cottage he'd rented for the year.

The next morning he completed his morning exercises. He'd mastered all the Chakra control exercises, that classed him in Konoha terms as being as good as the average Jonin, so instead he moved on to combinations of them, so for today he was walking on his hands on water, while balancing a large boulder on his feet.

The strength and fitness exercises he was doing were getting too easy for Naruto, so at the next opportunity he was going to get some weights to wear.

It was only ten O'clock in the morning by the time he was finished, so he decided to look around town. There were a small row of shops, selling food and general household items, but nothing that would be much use to his Shinobi training. A small bar stood at the far end of the street, but Naruto guessed it would be too early for anyone to be there, so decided to come back later.

The rest of the day was spent looking over the scrolls he'd taken from the Hokage's 'secret' hiding place. Naruto promised that the next time he was anywhere near Konoha he would disguise himself and take the old man out for some Ramen.

There were eight scrolls in total. The Scroll he'd stolen when he was still in the ninja academy listed all of Konoha's forbidden techniques, which were not to be taught to anyone without the express condition of the Hokage, if it were deemed to be safe. Kage-Bunshin was listed as an A-rank forbidden technique due to the amount of Chakra it required, and the level of control of the technique that was required to only summon one or two clones. Naruto guessed if it wasn't for the Kyuubi's Chakra, he would've dies when using the technique to capture Mizuki, as the technique wasn't limited to how much Chakra the user let out, it took it directly from their body. As all the Techniques were A/S-rank and he probably wouldn't have a very good chance of learning them, he put the scroll aside to be looked at, at a later date.

The next five scrolls all looked identical apart from the Kanji for each different element stamped across the front: Fire, Water, Earth, Wind and Lightening. However as Naruto could only guess at his own affirmatives, he would have to wait until he visited a shinobi shop to get the required paper that tested someone's elements.

The last scroll was by far the best and most interesting to Naruto however. Naruto couldn't believe his eyes as he opened the scroll labelled 'Hokage' and cast his eyes down the page. There were four lists, separated by the numbers one through four, with a short paragraph above each. Not believing his luck Naruto read the introduction to the first. 'Mokuton: Hijutsu Jukai Koutan'. Looking at the page as if it were made of solid gold, Naruto looked around him expecting to see an army of Konoha ninja's come to get the scroll back. He'd just read the Shodaime Hokage's original Jutsu. The Jutsu he'd used to create the dense forest covering half of Fire country. As the Jutsu needed a bloodline limit to use, Naruto didn't bother reading the short explanation of how to master the technique. Instead he continued down the page, past the Sution Jutsu's the Second Hokage created, past the variety of different techniques the old man had created till he reached the short passage from the Fourth Hokage:

_Rasingan - Step 1: Swirl Chakra in hand to pop filled water balloon (emphasis rotation). Step 2: Similar techniques with rubber ball (emphasis Power). Step 3: Form chakra into spherical shape burst (emphasis control). _

_Hiraishin no Jutsu - Transports the user immediately to the location of a chosen seal, faster than the speed of light. Ask Jiraiya for training on how to use the seals. _

_Kuchiyose no Jutsu - Summoning Jutsu. Sign your name on the Summons Contract. It belongs to Hanzo an old acquaintance of Jiraiya's I met during the last great Shinobi war. He was very paranoid and gave me the contract to look after, letting me choose someone to sign the contract as payment. _

'_I leave my only two original Jutsu's and the Summoning Contract to my only son Uzimaki Naruto. To be given to him if I don't manage to kill the fox, when he grows up enough to understand my reasons. Tell him we love him and I'm sorry._

Underneth each of the techniques the require hand seals were listed and their rank, but as soon as he read the last line all thoughts of cool techniques left his mind: The fourth Hokage was his father. Naruto shook his head in confusion, it still wouldn't sink. Konoha's Yellow Flash was _his _father. He didn't know what he felt, confused, upset that no-one had told him, happy, proud, betrayed, and angry. Deciding none of these emotions or the relevations about his father would help his current training he quickly grabbed a sword summoned some clones and attacked. However busy he was, one thing kept circuling around his head. The man who'd sealed the Kyuubi in him was the fourth Hokage, _his_ father.

* * *

"Hokage-sama, do you where Naruto is, I've checked his apartment, the ramen stand and the training ground he always uses. I found Sakura, and she said you haven't given them any missions recently due to Sasuke leaving."

"I'm sorry Iruka; Naruto won't be around for quite a while now."

"Where've you sent him, he's only a Genin, he shouldn't be doing any long term missions." Iruka spluttered.

"I wish I could say he's on a mission, but I'm afraid it's a bit more complicated than that. I'm sure if you'd gotten back from your backup mission sooner then he would've told you before he went."

"Went. Where!?" Iruka managed to grind out, his knuckles gripping the desk slowly turning white.

The Hokage signed, and braced himself. "Naruto's been gone for three days; he's been declared a Missing Nin…"

* * *

Naruto woke up to his fifth day on the island of Yokohama, quickly got dressed, grabbed the box of plastic ball and made his way out into the back garden of the tiny cottage he was renting. It had taken three days for one of the ten clones he'd assigned, to finally master the first stage and burst the water balloon. Now for the next stage.

Naruto drew his hands together into the all too familiar seal and created fifty Kage-Bunshin. He chucked the box of plastic balls to one, who made his way to one corner of the large garden with nineteen identical looking clones, and began practicing the technique.

"Remember you've got to focus on making it as powerful as possible, that's why I gave you guys so much Chakra." Naruto called over to them. The leader glanced over and nodded, then resumed his look of great concentration at the rubber ball.

"Boring basterds." Naruto muttered under his breath so as not to upset the clones. Last time that had happened, they'd turned on him and he'd had to dispel all of them at the same time giving him a killer headache for the rest of the day.

Naruto sent the next ten clones to continue his, what seemed like, never ending Chakra control training. He'd worked out that due to the Kyuubi's chackra being constantly added to his system, his control is constantly becomeing worse, so he'd decided to have ten clones working everyday on it to cancel the affects of the fox's chackra, and keep his control at the consistantly high level that most high ranking Jutsu's need.

"You lot try to figure out how to get that Sharingan working." Naruto passed one of the clones the Uchiha puppet and a handful of Kunai and Shuriken. "Anyone not doing anything, work on improving chakra strings."

Naruto smirked at the left over ten clones standing in front of him. "Bring it."

Twenty minutes later Naruto dispatched the last of the clones with a satisfying uppercut to the chin. He looked round briefly to check all of the clones were still busy working, then rolled up his sleeves and began to gather his remaining Chakra.

He flashed through a set of hand seals, bit his thumb and shouted "_Kuchiyose no Jutsu." While slamming his hand into the ground. _

"Aaagh. This one's smaller than last time!" Naruto shouted, glaring at the tiny newt like creature in front of him.

"Least this one's got legs." A clone added helpfully from the side. "Ooops…" It managed to add before it disappeared in a puff of smoke.

* * *

"Danzu, I am not pleased. You promised me the boy, and I expect to get him. Until I get the boy, the invasion will be going ahead as planned, and you and your pathetic Root will be wiped out along with the rest of this accursed village." A man wearing a long black cloak with a hood hiding his features hissed at the other three people in the clearing with him. "You can find me the same way as before, but this time I expect twenty healthy test subjects and another fifty sacrifices for Manda."

"Yes Sir, I'm sorry for causing you any trouble." The war hawk grovelled. As soon as he had left, Danzu turned to the two elders standing next to him. "I want him found. Get as many Hunters on it as fast as possible. Approach every Jonin that isn't on a mission, tell them we'll give them bounty for an S-class Missing Nin if they find him and bring him back alive. I'll get everyone of my men on it at once." He snarled, then stormed of beck to his headquarters.

* * *

"So what exactly is so important 'bout this B-rank missing Nin that's worth enough money to buy me Dango for over two year."

"That's none of your business, but in the interest of capturing him fast, I will tell you Orochimaru is involved."

* * *

AN: Next update by 15th June at latest...promice :)


	8. Team Kakashi

AN: I'm setting the exchange rate at 100 ryu = £1. (Or $1.5/€1 now thanks to the genius that is Gordon Brown.)

Therefore some quick maths: If Anko eats ten Dango's a day for two year, at let's say £1 each. That's around 730,000 ryu for Naruto's bounty.

Make sure to read the Author Note at the bottom and vote!

* * *

Puppet Legend

Chapter 8 – Team Kakashi

* * *

Naruto dismissed his clones and looked around wearily. He was done, reached the point where he couldn't improve anymore alone or without further equipment. He'd handed over his last rent payment, had a final bowl of ramen, and killed the final bandit on the island.

He wouldn't miss Yokohama, with its poor, boring people, or its bleak weather, but he did feel a sense of nervousness. He was leaving the safety of the island, and entering the real world again: Hunter Nin's, Missing Nin's, evil group of Bijuu hunting lunatics and all.

Sealing the last of his possessions, Naruto locked the front door of the bungalow, hid the keys under the doormat as agreed, and made his way to the coast a few miles from the house. e HeHe

"_Kuchiyose no Jutsu."_ A fifty foot long Salamander appeared out of the smoke in front of Naruto. It had brilliant blue scales, and was at least twice Naruto's height.

"Naruto-sama, why did you summon me?"

"I'm travelling back to Konoha, and it would be a great help if you would take me to the main land. Also I thought it could give me a chance to get use to riding on you."

"Of course Naruto-sama." The Salamander waiting until Naruto had landed on his back and crossed the sandy beach in a few strides. He entered the water till all but his head and the ridge of his back was submerged, and pushed off from the sea bed in the direction of fire country.

* * *

_Two month earlier:_

"Kakashi-sensei, is it true? Has Naruto become a Missing Nin?"

"Yes Sakura" Kakashi sighed, closed his book, and looked up at the pink haired girl in front of him.

"Serves the baka right. He shouldn't have chased Sasuke off, and leave me with no team. How am I going to impress Sasuke when he comes back now, when I'm going to have to stay as a Genin."

"How do you know Sasuke is coming back?"

"We're destined to be together, he's come back for me when he's killed his brother, then we'll live happily ever after and revive his clan." Sakura almost shouted, hearts shinning in her eyes.

"Anyway." Kakashi quickly added, changing the subject. "Two new Genin are being assigned to our team, and we'll be taking the Chuunin exams in a year."

"Who are they going to be, there were only nine graduates, and none of the others have run away, or got injured." Sakura asked, thankfully Sasuke was temporarily forgotten.

"These two graduated early from the academy."

"WHAT! I have to be on a team with two arrogant brats from the academy." Sakura shouted at Kakashi. "Even Naruto would've been better...well, maybe not but still. I'll never become a Chuunin and impress Sasuke now."

"The Council and the Hokage's advisers are sponsoring them, so I doubt their brats." Kakashi answered mildly before adding quietly. "However you are right in that they will probably be arrogant."

* * *

"Will Konohamaru and Hanabi please stand up?" Iruka stood at the front of his class looking in confusion at the piece of paper he'd just been given by a Chuunin messenger. "You two have been sponsored by the council to become Genin. You will meet the third member of your team and your Jonin Sensei in the Hokage's office in fifteen minutes.

There were a couple of groaning and complaining from the rest of the class, especially from the duo's respective fan boys/girls, however there was little love lost between the arrogant top two of the class and the majority.

Fifteen minutes later in the Hokage's office, Sarutobi removed the pipe from his mouth and looked down at the three Genin's standing in front of him. Silently he counted down, three two one, as Kakashi sailed through the open window into the room and landed silently behind his team. Usually he was three hours late, however after one day a particularly worked up Sarutobi had lost his temper, and now whenever he was seeing the Hokage he only arrived two hours late.

"On the council's demand you will now be a team." Sarutobi started, making his disgust at the decision plain. "You will train from seven in the morning to three in the afternoon when you will take on three D-rank missions. On the weekends you will take a C-rank mission decided by the Council and every month they will monitor your progress."

"In the morning between seven and ten, Kakashi will be late. Therefore each of you will have individual training. Sakura, you will go to the Hospital and learn how to become a Medi-Nin. Just give your name to the receptionist, and someone will be assigned to teach you. Hanabi, you will be taught by two Hyuuga in the ANBU, who will teach you the clan's most advanced Jutsu's. And finally: Konohamaru. Ebisu will continue your training; however once a week my old teammates will give you lessons in politics and diplomacy."

"I'm sorry for doing this, but the Elders, the Council and even the fire lord are united. Now get out of here and go introduce yourself or whatever shit you guys get up to nowadays. I'll see you at three for your first D-rank mission." For the first time in the meeting the elderly Hokage smiled. "Oh dear, I think I just heard Tora the cat escaping again. At least I still get to choose what missions you guys do." He chuckled quietly to himself till the doors had closed, and slyly reached under his desk for a little orange...pile of paper work. He nodded. Defiantly a pile of paper work.

* * *

"Orochimaru-sama, what can I do for you?"

"Are the sound four back from their mission yet Kabuto?"

"They got back in yesterday sir, the assassination went as planned, and their fully rested and ready to go as you command."

"Excellent, tell them to leave for Konoha immediately. I want to know if they've retained the Kyuubi yet, and are keeping it from me. If we don't have him in ten days, get your team ready to leave for Konoha. You need to get there by the time the Chuunin exam nominations are handed in."

"Of course Orochimaru-sama. Is there anything else?"

"How are the science experiments coming along?"

"Two have survived."

"Excellent, add a random Genin to their team, give them a Jounin sensei, and get them ready to leave shortly after you. I need one of them to get through to the final: The Suna Yondaime still has his uses."

"It will be done Lord Orochimaru."

"Before you go Kabuto, how is Kimimino doing?"

"He hasn't got long left, I've estimated six months."

"Such a shame, he would've made a perfect vessel."

* * *

"Thank-you Shansho, catch something to eat before you go if you want."

"I will Naruto-sama, good luck." The salamander waiting until Naruto had disappeared off into the trees, then sunk back into the water.

* * *

_One month earlier:_

"I guess the dobe's team couldn't make it." Kiba commented as the doors to the exam room shut.

"Didn't you hear?" Chouji said, overhearing Kiba, and wandering over from where team 10 were standing. "Naruto and Sasuke have left the village."

"You mean they've become..."

"...Missing Nin's." Chouji finished. "Where've you been, he's been in the bingo book for a month now, Asuma-sensei showed us."

The rest of Chouji's team had come across now, and the six Genin were drawing a lot of attention to themselves.

"Training." Shino answered, the usually mute Genin asked, looking confused, if that notion were possible to the bug user. "A month, how hasn't he been caught yet?"

"Well it's obvious, no-one can be bothered going to get him. He probably has a lower bounty than a D-rank mission." Kiba injected scornfully. He and Naruto had spent years bunking off at the academy together, but Naruto's skills were the class joke, and Hinata was _his_ teammate. It was as if nothing he did ever impressed her, all she thought about was the dead last.

"He's listed at three quarters of a million ryu." Ino replied smugly, Sasuke's only worth a hundred thousand, and he's to be brought back unharmed. Naruto-kun's says still breathing next to it."

"Sorry about her." Shikamaru muttered, waiting till Ino was completely caught up in her fantasy about a tattooed beefy Naruto beating up all the Hunter Nin's in the world to come and rescue her...

Team 8, weren't allowed to voice their surprise at Naruto's status or Ino's apparent crush as at that moment a cloud of smoke revealed a scared Jounin who glared round at the group of Genin.

"The exam starts now. Go through to the next room and find a seat."

* * *

_Five days later:_

"Sakura."

"Ino, what are you doing here? It's five in the morning."

"I know, but your new team means you're never around, besides, don't you want to hear about the Chuunin exams."

"Wait a moment." Ino heard some scrambling around, and a minute later Sakura opened her front door dressed in her usual pink dress.

"Where are we going?"

"Hot springs, I need a good soak after what happened."

"What did happen?"

"Well, first there was this test. I managed to find someone who knew the answers, so took over his mind, and copied his answers." Ino began as the two friends set off down the road in the direction of the hot springs. "Then the weird examiner did some weird question and we passed."

"Tell me Ino, we're taking that test in half a year, and I need to become a Chuunin to impress Sasuke-kun."

"I can't see why your still interested in him, Naruto-kun is so much cooler, but if you really want to know." Sakura held her tongue. She wouldn't get the necessary information if she pointed out to her poor deluded friend how much cooler Sasuke-kun was. No, she'd let her finish then point it out.

"He said if you failed the tenth question you could never become a Chuunin, so loads of people left, but really there was no question, it was about Chuunin having to take risks on missions."

"Right, I have to take risks." Sakura summarised to herself. "What happened next, you can't have been gone for nearly a week and look like that just from some exam."

"Yeah, so then some crazy lady came in. Kept muttering about stupid Missing Nin's and Dango. Anyway, she took us to this huge forest, and gave us one of two scrolls, and said we had to get one of each and get to the tower in the centre. Anyway, we found two teams fighting, and waiting till they were finished, and tired out. Then followed them to where they made camp for the night. I managed to invade the mind of the guard to keep him quiet, while Shikamaru stole the scroll."

"When we made it to the tower we had these preliminary rounds because there were too many people for the final. I was drawn against this evil girl from Suna, and didn't have time to perform my Jutsu because she kept attacking me with that huge fan of hers."

"How did all the other people in our academy class do?"

"Oh, Skikamaru got through, and Kiba and Shino form Team 8. Then there were this other team that were a year older than us, and two of them got through, Hinata nearly got killed by this guy whose her cousin, and one of his teammates, this girl who throws weapons got through. The rest were two guys from Sound, and the whole team from Suna."

By this time the two girls had arrived at the Hot springs, and were stripping off in the nearly deserted changing rooms.

"So what happens now?" Sakura asked.

"Well those ten get a month to do some training, and then they have to fight in a tournament at the stadium in front of a huge crowd. How's your team going?"

"A bit better, the others are finally beginning to acknowledge me. On a mission last week Konohamaru got stabbed in the chest, and Kakashi-sensei said if I hadn't been there he could've died. Also I managed to land a hit on him in a spar we had the other day. It's a lot more serious than when Naruto and Sasuke were around, and the Hokage even came down to watch one of our training session. Kakashi teaches us a lot more and we get to go on better missions."

"Sounds fun, what's the hospital like?"

"It's great, the patients are really nice, and if I pass the test on Friday I'll get to train to become a field medic..."

It is unclear as to what the duo would have said next, because at that moment a very loud sneeze sounded from just behind the fence enclosing the female half of the baths.

Five minutes later, the Hokage sat behind his desk looking pleased with himself for once, Kakashi standing to one side casting sympathetic looks towards his hero. "We were just talking about you Jiraiya."

"Yes." He groaned, and took one had away from between his legs to rub his head. "I noticed that."

"Well, it's been eight days since I called you, why are you so late."

"I came here as fast as my old body, and the hot springs alone the way would allow."

The Hokage cleared his throat awkwardly. "Yes, well, what have you got to report?"

"Orochimaru. He's formed an alliance with Suna, and is planning an attack on Konoha."

"When?"

"Chuunin exam finals, and he's got himself a Bijuu."

* * *

AN: **Important Poll:** Should the Pairing be_ Naruto/Kyuubi,_ _Naruto/Kyuubi/Anko_ or_ Naruto/Anko_. Please leave a review and give your opinion and maybe a reason why, that'd be awesome, and really help me decide. As well as or otherwise you could vote on my profile page, but unless there's a huge majority, I will probably not pick the pairing on the winner alone...if you get what I mean.

This is the point in the story where the pairing will affect the plot, so I need to decide before I write the next chapter.

Extra Note: Due to all the new functionalty fanfic's been putting in, which on the whole is great, I can't see whoes review's I've replied to, so sorry if I've missed someone or replied to you twice. I read and apprecate every review I get, and love you guys for it!!

Since I hadn't updated for absolutely ages, I thought I'd update again in quick succession, but this time I really will have to update again after my exams in a couple of weeks. Till then.

Sorry to all those not interested in football, but before I leave you, three words: Man Utd lol!


	9. Chinatsu

* * *

Puppet Legend

Chapter 9 - Chinatsu

* * *

"Anko, what a surprise meeting you here."

"Orochimaru." Anko ground out, spitting on the floor in front of her former sensei. "What the hell do you want?" She quickly drew a Kunai in each hand and began gathering chakra.

"I want the Uchiha. Give his to me, and I'll leave you and the rest of the brats alone." Orochimaru smirked, and licked his lips with his unnaturally long tongue.

Anko smirked back, and began chuckling.

"I don't see what's funny." Orochimaru hissed, all the amusement of meeting up with his old apprentice vanishing in an instant. "The other villages wouldn't be impressed if one of Konoha's Missing Nin slaughtered all the Chuunin exam candidates."

He continued, noticing his words were having no affect on the kunoichi. "You didn't let a group of angry villagers get to your head did you? I didn't think you'd end up going crazy, but it just goes to show a dreadfully evil Snake Sannin can always be wrong.

Anko finally composed herself, and made eye contact with her old sensei. "You must have really crap spies."

"What?"

"The Uchiha left almost three months ago."

For a moment a look of intense anger flitted across his face, a moment later it vanished, and was replaced with a look of mild annoyance.

"It matters little; I will have his eyes anyway. I can have Kimimaro fetch him. He will be useful one last time before he dies. I'm afraid it ends here Anko. I can't have you telling anyone my plans, let alone reveal the embarrassing gaps in my spy network you so kindly pointed out. Kukukuku that might ruin my reputation a little."

"What reputation?"

"Come on Anko, these distraction tactics aren't like you at all. I've already killed that clone you sent for help." Anko stiffened, and looked down at the ground. She was on her own.

"Now show me that fighting spirit." Orochimaru leered.

Anko's eye's glinted with determination, as she rolled up the sleeves of her trench coat. "Let's fight."

She threw the two kunai in her hands at his chest. Then was forced to roll to the side when he caught them and launched them back twice as fast. She flashed through the seals, and extended her hands out, a swam of snakes slithered out from her sleeves, fanning out towards Orochimaru.

He quickly formed his own hand seals creating a wave of water which collided with the snakes, stopping their progress and washing them back towards Anko.

"_Doton Doryuu Heki" _Anko called while crouching down hands against the floor. A large wall of earth rose out of the ground in front of her, nearly reaching up to the canopy of the forest, and stretching ten meters wide. The wave of water collided with the obstacle, losing its energy, and collapsing onto the forest floor. The snakes that hadn't already vanished, collided with the wall and disappeared with clouds of smoke.

Anko leapt out from behind the wall and shouted: "_Katon: Gōkakyu no Jutsu." _She opened her mouth and exhaled a tongue of flame which formed into a huge ball shape, then shot off towards Orochimaru. She quickly replaced herself with a rock away to the left of her opponent, and drew a couple of shuriken.

Orochimaru was standing a little way off smirking as the technique charged towards him. He almost leisurely began forming hand seals and muttered: "_Suiton: Suikōdan no Jutsu."_ The ankle deep water around him rose up in front of him in the shape of a shark. With a final seal, the shark shot of towards the fireball, cutting straight through the centre. The fire that hadn't been extinguished, collapsed in on itself, and dissipated into the air.

Anko silently cursed. She'd put a lot of power into the Jutsu, and had hoped that someone would notice it. She threw the Shuriken as fast as she could at the Snake Sanin. She quickly cast another Jutsu, multiplying the two Shuriken into more than fifty.

Orochimaru whirled round his eyes widening slightly. Almost instantly his hands flashed through the seals, and he opened his mouth blowing the chakra enhanced air towards Anko. The shuriken which hadn't hit any tree's whirled to a halt, and switched direction heading directly towards the snake mistress.

She vainly tried to dodge them all, however their large numbers overwhelmed her, and one stuck her in the thigh, just below the base of her skirt. Ignoring the pain she finally dodged the last one, and whirled back to face her opponent, but found he'd vanished.

"I see Sensei's taught you a few tricks, it won't be enough though." Orochimaru sneered. Anko spun around trying to locate the sound of his voice.

A snake appeared above her, it opened its jaws poised to bite and poison her; however Anko was quicker, and jammed a kunai down the throat dispelling the summons.

"Summoning Snakes to do your dirty work is a coward's job." She scoffed, taking the opportunity of the lapse in action to pull the shuriken out of her leg. She stiffened in pain but didn't cry out. Quickly tearing off a strip of her trench coat, she wrapped it firmly around her leg and tied it off.

"Don't you see how far off you are from my level of ability Anko-chan? It's pointless to resist."

Anko sensed where he was and whirled around to see a thirty foot snake crashing towards her. She jumped up into the nearest tree to avoid being eaten by teeth the size of her arm. She created a few Kage-Bunshin, and sent them off to nearby trees to look for her estranged sensei.

One almost instantly disappeared, sending Anko the memories of its last moments before being crushed under a huge boulder. The nest was cut in half by Orochimaru's Kusanagi sword, and the final one a moment later was incinerated by a huge stream of fire. Anko reeled from the information overload she was getting in the space of a couple of seconds, nearly falling out of the tree, but managing to cling onto the main trunk.

"You're outclassed in every area Anko. Accept your fate and die in peace." Orochimaru said, appearing on a tree opposite her."

He was breathing heavily, and it looked as if all the pointless high ranking Jutsu's were taking effect on his chakra reserves.

"If I'm going to die I'll take you with me." She jumped across and caught hold of Orochimaru's hand with one hand, the other forming a single seal. "_Sojasosai no Jutsu!" _

Two snakes appeared from the sleeves of her trench coat, winding their way around her wrists, till they met at the joined hands. Orochimaru tried to pull away, but couldn't. Both the snakes raised their heads, and bit down into both wrists.

"Why did you do that?"Orochimaru asked softly, looking at his old student curiously.

"I had to stop you for the good of Konoha."

"You wouldn't do something like that for Konoha, tell me the real reason."

"You had to be stopped, so you wouldn't ruin the lives of other innocent people like me. Now no-one will have to suffer like I have, or have that cursed seal again." A smile tugged at Anko's lips, as her finger's slipped out of Orochimaru's hands, and she fell to her knees.

"Well I'm sorry to disappoint but I'm not dying anytime soon." Orochimaru gloated. Anko stiffened, then looked up at him.

"How?"

"Do you really think I'd teach someone a Jutsu that could so easily kill me? I've integrated snake DNA into my own, my body can fight off the venom. It takes up quite a bit of chakra, but in twenty minutes it will be completely gone from my system."

Anko looked down at the ground, accepting her defeat.

"I may save you the pain though, you gave me a good fight, and for that you deserve a quick death. He drew Kusanagi and positioned it over her head.

Anko waited, she felt the stream of air the sword displaced on its journey down, then suddenly a clang of metal on metal sounded just over her head. She looked up to see two crossed swords struggling for dominance over head.

"I was wandering what it would take to get you to come out."

Anko looked up at her savoir. He had black trousers, and a loose black top covered with a strange orange design that she couldn't make out due to the poison coursing through her system affecting her eyesight. She smiled up at her rescuer then collapsed to the ground and lay still.

"That's an extremely rare poison, she'll be dead in half an hour, and excluding my old teammate, no-one has enough chakra or control to save her." Orochimaru commented casually, looking at the new arrival's concerned face. "Shame, she had potential, but had to go and waste it by staying in this village."

"I'm going to kill you for doing that."

"Now now, Naruto-kun. She had to die, beside's take a look in her mission order pouch."

Naruto cast a wary eye at the snake Sennin, who had relaxed the force he was pressing the sword down with, however it was still resting on Naruto's simple Katana only a few feet above Anko's exposed neck.

He brought up his other hand, and formed half a seal forming a Kage-Bunshin. The clone reached down and removed the small pouch from Anko's belt.

"I'm impressed Naruto-kun, most Jonin struggle to form one handed seals, and holding off my sword attack with only one hand…very good."

Naruto merely grunted in reply, and held out his hand for the small scroll which his clone handed him. All ninja had to carry their mission orders with them when on a mission so they could prove to any clients that they're genuine, and to allow them entrance into foreign countries. For example if a client hired some Konoha nin's to kill some bandits in Suna, then these papers would be needed to prove their intentions if they got stopped by any border guards.

Naruto looked down at the unravelled scroll and read the short message.

_A-Rank Retrieval mission:_

_Mitarashi Anko of Konoha to retrieve Missing Nin Uzimaki Naruto alive.  
__Reward 750,000 Ryu.  
__Access required to all hidden countries, due to unknown location._

Naruto read the message and dropped it next to Anko, his facial expressions refusing to reveal any emotions.

"I told you, Konoha doesn't want you. Come with me, and leave those scum to suffer their deserved fate. I can teach you so much, give you all that you need for revenge, to prove to them they were wrong." Orochimaru looked at Naruto hungrily. "See the standard of Konoha ninja." He kicked Anko's writhing body at their feet. "Come with me."

"No."

"This is a once in a lifetime experience. The offer won't be available again."

"No." Naruto repeated staring back at Orochimaru levelly.

"Fine, no point in keeping pretence's up. You have the Kyuubi, I want it. You made a wise choice not to believe me, but in the end it will make no difference. You see I've been studying that seal of yours ever since I borrowed one of Sensei's old scrolls last year, and fortunately for you, I've found a way to make it work for me, so whether you come willingly or not, I'm going to have control over the demon inside you."

Naruto filed the information away for later, then jerked his sword up knocking the snake sword back towards its master, and twisted the blade around and swung at his legs. Orochimaru jumped backwards and landed on a different tree a little way off.

Naruto summoned as many clones as would fit on the branch, about twenty, and bent down to examine Anko.

"The number of clones you have will make no difference." Orochimaru commented, looking slightly disappointed at Naruto's apparent battle tactics.

Ignoring him, Naruto jumped to the floor of the forest, bit his thumb and slammed his hands into the ground calling '_Kuchiyose no Jutsu.' _The smoke cleared, and three Salamanders appeared. Naruto returned to the tree, and gently picked up Anko and placed her gently on the first who had pale blue scales and was about as tall as Naruto and twice as long. The next was slightly larger, with bright red and yellow scale, elongated canines, and slightly longer thicker legs.

He motioned to half the clones, who went to join the two Salamanders.

"Get her to the hospital. Watch out for his snakes." He ordered, and pointed towards Konoha. One of the clones nodded, and the small group jumped off away from the clearing."

Orochimaru looked aghast, at the final summon, standing at least twenty five feet of the ground, with bright gold armour like scales, a giant blue sword strapped to its back.

"How did you get the Salamander contract? That's Hanzo's and he wouldn't teach someone like you. Beside's I thought my old comrades were keeping a close eye on him. They wouldn't let someone like you escape their clutches."

Naruto took the opportunity, and jumped towards him as fast as he could, drawing the Kanata he'd since sheathed.

Orochimaru gulped, and tried to bring his own sword up to meet the incoming attack, however he was too late, and the Kanata glanced off the other blade, and deflected into Orochimaru's arm leaving a deep gash. He looked down in surprise the thin cut in his shirt revealing deep purple blood seeping rapidly from the wound.

He hissed in anger, and struck out with his tongue, however Naruto ducked underneath, swinging around under the branch, and up the other side landing a heavy kick to Orochimaru's chest. He went flying backwards into a branch with a sickening thud; however Naruto didn't leave it there.

He ran through a set of hand seals, and breathed out a long tongue of flame. It blasted straight into him square on. Naruto continued the Jutsu for another few seconds, then let it fall. The fire slowly receded, revealing a burnt mangled body partially imbedded into the burning wood. Naruto kept his Kanata raised cautiously, motioning for some of the clones to join him. They immediately jumped up and began watching for sneak attacks from behind, above or below.

Slowly one of the hands moved, detaching itself from the blazing wood, and pushing against the branch allowing the body to tumble to the leafy ground below.

Naruto quickly motioned, the remaining four clones on the ground hurrying over to surround the body. One drew a Kunai and threw it at the exposed, apparently unprotected back. A hand shot out, and grabbed the weapon a moment before it would have impacted. He proceeded to run the Kunai up his back, cutting deeply into the blackened flesh. Once there was a long cut running the length of his back, the hand pulled the wound apart as if it were a costume, and pulled a perfectly fresh unmarked body out from inside, even wearing clothes.

Finally the arms and head were pulled out, leaving the empty blackened skin screwed up on the floor, revealing a completely new person. They had long black hair, light delicate features and defiantly breasts, Naruto noted, jumping down to get a closer look.

"Very good Naruto-kun. You've forced me to reveal my true form."

"What's the deal then?" Naruto demanded glaring at the woman he was now facing. "Unless Iruka-sensei consistently taught us drunk, Orochimaru was defiantly a bloke."

"Oh this is an immortality technique I developed. Every three years I can change bodies; in fact that's where your little friend the Uchiha comes in. Oh I know all about you and your little friends in Team 7."

"Right until I killed your spies." Naruto smirked, frantically thinking of ways he could escape.

"Oh those two were expendable; Kabuto's been watching up until the day those Konoha fools lost him. He was needed to look after Kimimaro, so I got that fool Danzu to have you followed."

"Oh you were the idiot in the cloak with those other three that were fooling around with my super clone. That explains a lot." Naruto was curious. Whoever this Kabuto was, if he was following him, then he'd surely know the Sasuke had left, however Orochimaru turned up to this exam to abduct him. Maybe if he got out of this, this Kabuto guy could help him.

"Enough talking, now let's finish this before anyone else gets here."

"Afraid of having to fight a few Konoha Nin's?" Naruto taunted as three of his clones ran to engage the Snake with Taijutsu. The first ran straight towards him, then at the last minute dodged under the sword swing, and tried to sweep his legs from under him, however he was stopped by the other hand which chopped down on the clone's neck instantly dispelling it.

Orochimaru turned just in time to duck under a Kunai. He shot his tongue out of his mouth connecting with one of the two remaining clones, sending it flying backwards thirty yards. The last threw a few Shuriken, which were easily deflected, then drew a sword, and charged forward. Orochimaru shook his head in contempt, and dodged to the left of the swing. He was about to bring Kusanagi down on the clone when it exploded. The Sanin displayed excellent reflexes by dropping to the floor immediately and bringing his arms up to protect his face, however it was too late, and he was catapulted back by the hot expelled air, skidding across the floor.

Naruto looked down at his opponent grinning. Orochimaru slowly got to his feet, and met the blonde's gaze. He snarled and bit his thumb, summoning another giant snake. He didn't have enough Chakra for Manda, and he would cause far too much destruction attracting the attention of others. The snake he was standing on was about a hundred feet long with a diameter of about ten foot.

It jerked forward, winding from side to side leaving large gouges in the tree's it brushed past. The Salamander reached round to its back and drew the large sword that lay sheathed there, careful not to knock Naruto off.

"Let's go Chinatsu." Naruto yelled, launching a few Kunai at the approaching snake. They bounced harmlessly off its scales, however the exploding notes exploded, causing it to jolt to one side. Noticing this, the Salamander launched herself at the momentarily preoccupied snake, stabbing the sword straight through the back of its head and into the ground. It hissed, and swung its tail around knocking Chinatsu onto her back.

Naruto just managed to escape being squashed, and watched as the giant Salamander flipped over, and announced it's only Jutsu. "Taimu: Chiyo Natsu" He reached out and grabbed a hold of the thrashing snake. The snake slowly at first, then faster, began to grow. In a few seconds it had reached the size of Manda, the current snake boss. Orochimaru jumped off looking at the snake in confusion. It had now come loose of the ground; however the Salamander's sword was still sticking out of the beast's neck.

As soon as it had reached what appeared to be its maximum height, it slowly began to shrink again, its scales one by one dropping off, revealing soft flesh underneath that was slowly wrinkling. In just a few more second, the great Snake had been reduced to skin and bones, but it didn't stop there, the skin slowly peeled off leaving a bare skeleton. Orochimaru reached over to prod one of the bones; however it disintegrated in his hands.

"It's Chinatsu's special Jutsu" Naruto explained. "His name literally means One Thousand Summers, and that's what the technique does, age whichever summons's he touches by a thousand years. Shame it doesn't work on humans otherwise we could test that immortality Jutsu of yours."

"Enough." Orochimaru snapped, glaring at the cheerful blond in front of him. He leapt forward too fast for Naruto to react, and smacked the blond in the face, however he disappeared in a cloud of smoke. The Snake Sannin noticed it too late, and spun round just in time to see a spinning ball of condensed chakra slam into his chest.

Naruto collapsed to the floor breathing heavily. That move had taken a lot out of him. With everything he'd done, he was surprised he even had enough for that. He managed to look up to see Orochimaru stagger to his feet, a large circular hole in his chest splattering the ground around him with blood.

"You've surprised me Naruto, and you fought well, but it wasn't quite enough. I would take you with me, however I don't have enough chakra for a Shunshin for myself let alone two people, and with this wound I wouldn't be able to carry you." He clutched at his chest in pain and coughed up some blood. "Besides I can feel the fox waking up. Remember I will be back for you." He smirked, and his head shot out from his body, his neck freakily extending out towards Naruto.

He bit down into Naruto's neck sending the blond reeling in pain, as he felt a foreign body invade his system. Satisfied, Orochimaru removed his fangs, and returned his head to its original position. Naruto clamped his hand over the wound, covering up the small black seal that had appeared there.

"A parting gift."

* * *

AN: Wow, longest chapter yet, and it was all fighting. How was it?

To counter any flames in advanced. Naruto is not as strong as Orochimaru so this isn't unbelievable! He spent a lot of Chakra defeating Anko, and Naruto surprised him so managed to get some hits in. he was trying to capture Naruto, so couldn't use any killing blows, and also if you were a big bad evil ninja would you fight your best against a thirteen year old?

The fight between Orochimaru and Anko was different than in the real manga/anime partly because it was really short and not that great a fight, and partly because I figure if Orochimaru wants Naruto to come with him, then showing off some flashy Jutsu's would be better then acting creepy and attacking people with your long tongue.

Huge thank you to you all for the great response I got to the last chapter and the poll I did. 'Druss The Legend' made a good point in that it would be good for the reader to get to know Anko and the other characters a bit more before deciding the final pairing; however for the moment I'm going along the Naruto/Kyuubi/Anko path; however nothing will happen for a few chapters so I may have another poll at a later date.

Thanks for reading, how you enjoyed it.

ps: to _'Football Fanatic'_ - Totally agree!

Edit: Some people have worried about Naruto getting the cursed seal. Wait for the next chapter, I've got most of it planned out, and honestly it's not that big a deal.


	10. Snake Lady

* * *

Puppet Legend

Chapter 10 - Snake Lady

* * *

The battlefield flashed before Naruto's eyes, small details springing into focus while large patch remained blurred, the vivid green of the trees around the clearing he was kneeling in slowly turned gray. He swayed, on the brink of toppling forwards. A million different thoughts were rushing through his head. All of a sudden one catching his attention: 'Weird Snake Lady.'

Naruto shook his head and jumped to his feet, immediately regretting it as he fell flat on his face, dizziness overcoming him. He finally managed to stagger to his feet with the fourth attempt, and grabbed hold of a tree for support. He quickly contacted one of the clones he'd sent with Anko, and found them struggling against two giant snakes. He spat out a curse and noted their location, about half a mile in the direction of Konoha.

Naruto had expected snakes to be patrolling the area, but had not expected the quantity there were. One of the reasons he'd noticed the fight was the giant snake that had tried to eat him on his shortcut through the forest after all, and Anko's and his clones that had been sent for help had been disposed of fairly easily. However the clones and two salamanders had managed to fight off seven snakes already not including the two current ones, and Naruto suspected Orochimaru had sent them all after the group as soon as they'd left.

He could feel the poison of the seal spreading through his system, trying to secure it's strangle hold on his body. He couldn't resist it; all of his chakra was used up. Finally he couldn't hold it any longer, and let his resistance fall, releasing the evil black chakra through to mix with his feeble pale blue reserves. His last image was of his second last clones being crushed under the belly of one of the two snakes leaving just the one clone holding the prone form of the Chuunin exam proctor.

Naruto opened his eyes and looked up at the stone ceiling of the room he found himself in, a good thirty foot above him. He blinked twice, and slowly clambered to his feet. Looking around it took a moment for his sluggish brain to recognise it: His consciousness, or if you'd have asked him half a year ago, the weird sewage place with the big monster.

Said big monster was looking down almost pitifully at her confused contain in front of her.

"Good fight Naruto, you've improved."

"Thank…you, but weird…snake…lady needs…"

"Yep, I'm working on helping weird sna…her names Anko alright. You met her with Kakashi once, and you heard Orochimaru talking to her."

"She was scary, even Kakashi was terrified of her, he put his book away, created a clone and hid."

"Yes. Anyway, she's been injected with an unknown poison, and I think I've come up with a way to heal her." Naruto looked like he had something to say, but obviously figured that there were better ideas then interrupting a demon when they set their mind to something. "First you need to deal with those snakes, then cast that healing Jutsu you learnt last month, however..."

* * *

The snake reared back, the sword thrust deep into its neck. Rather than disappearing in a cloud of smoke it flipped and landed in a heap on the forest floor. Satisfied it wouldn't be moving again anytime soon, Naruto staggered over to the clone who was loosely holding the snake mistress in his arms. Not wanting to waste any energy with speech, Naruto motioned to the clone to lay her on the floor, and knelt down besides her limp body.

Naruto gently reached over and pulled back the collar of Anko's trench coat. He let out a little gasp when the black cursed seal was revealed. Kyuubi had told him about it, but he hadn't been prepared for how similar it was to his own, and the reek of evil surrounding the wound. He glanced at his own shoulder and tried to ignore the feelings of anger and self disgust that were rising up inside him.

He slowly formed three hand seals, ignoring the splitting headache the curse seal was giving him, and slammed his palms down onto the cursed seal.

* * *

Anko groaned, and struggled to lift her head off its very comfortable pillow. She gasped and clutched her head as a splitting headache hit her. She blearily looked around, taking a few moments to process the information. She was lying in a clearing in the forest; she recognised it as being only a few minutes from her house.

Littered around her splintered trees lay strewn across the ground as if they were blades of straw. Kunai and an assortment of other weapons lay alongside, some imbedded in the trees. Scorch marks showed evidence of various fires around her, some areas still smouldering slightly.

Her memory of the recent events began slowly filtering back. Orochimaru. She'd been defeated. She'd used _that_ move. Why had she done that? Why was she alive? All she knew was she was alive and her head hurt which was good enough for the moment. She collapsed back onto that comfortable pillow and closed her eyes.

Something was bothering her. What was it she was resting on? It was far too comfortable to be the floor, and what would there be in the forest that felt like this. Without opening her eyes, she reached out with one hand, and felt around her. Her fingers brushed against a soft fabric. She worked her way down.

Now she felt skin. Rough against her weak hand, cold and clammy. It kept moving further down. Anko suddenly realised where she'd reached, and scrambled away from where she was lying, blushing madly despite her unknown predicament.

She glanced to her left at the person. They were wearing dark heavy looking books and baggy black trousers. The long sleeved skin tight black top showed off an impressive set of muscles. The material was ripped in several places showing smooth tanned skin broken in numerous places by a series of both old and new scars.

The head was blocked from view by one of the few trees in the immediately vicinity still standing. Anko staggered to her feet, her curiosity overcoming the pain for the moment. She remembered now, someone had saved her from Orochimaru, someone had been watching, someone must have driven him off. Who were they?

She slowly began to shuffle back over to the prone figure, and knelt down next to him. She reached out grabbing his chin and turning his head to face her. Long blond hair spilling around his face, strong angular features and six dark lines, three on either cheek.

She couldn't have been more surprised. Naruto: Kakashi's self proclaimed _failure_; the Kyuubi's container; the hyperactive wanna-be Hokage and much to Anko's fury: the winner of last year's _most addicted to one type of food_ contest. (Herself being the winner for the previous five years.)

She remembered the position she'd been in a moment ago, and blushed again. "Who would've thought the Gaki would've been so loaded." She muttered to herself, turning even redder as she thought about what it had felt like.

Suddenly she recalled the conversation she'd had with the Hokage's advisers a while back. She reached for the pouch on her belt, but found it empty. It didn't matter, she'd read that sheet of paper enough times to remember exactly what it had said. Why in the world would this young teenager lying in front of her be worth that sort of bounty?

She was tempted to turn him in. It would mean a much more comfortable life then she currently lived, and wouldn't have to go on as many A-ranked missions. Anyway, he must have done something pretty bad, so maybe he would deserve it if caught him.

She couldn't shake the image of the small blond hair innocent looking boy running around Konoha pulling pranks and shouting about becoming the next Hokage. Surely he wouldn't betray Konoha if he wanted to be their leader. Plus he looked so peaceful lying there, so at peace with the world. She couldn't turn him in could she. He was just a boy. No knowing what they'd do to him. Anko had firsthand experience of what would happen from when she'd escaped from Orochimaru, and she'd spent a couple of years from the opposite end of the tunnel, and she wouldn't abandon him to that.

Besides it was probably him who had saved her from Orochimaru and healed her. She didn't know how he would've done it however he had been lying underneath her, and now she'd been awake for a bit longer she was sure she remembered a flash of yellow before she'd finally been knocked out.

Yes, she remembered now, Orochimaru had been about to stab her. Metal on metal. Orange and Black clothes. Blond hair. Blue Eyes. It had to be him. She absently wandered where his jacket had gone as she looked down at his body spread out before her.

Shaking her head violently. She needed to think straight. Someone would come looking for her when the end of exams came and she wasn't there to give her report to the Hokage. In fact they might be looking for her now. What was the time? What day was it?

Her ninja senses kicked in. She knelt down next to a faint footprint and ran her hand gently across it. Two days old at the most. It was nearing the evening, probably around Seven O'clock, almost defiantly on the fourth day of the exam. This gave her some breathing room. At the tower there would only be a few Chuunin to greet the teams that passed, and stop any fighting between the contestants after they'd finished. She'd have to report to the Hokage tomorrow when the exam ended.

She shrugged. She'd have to take him with her. Oh well, it'd be the first time for a while she'd be taking a guy home.

* * *

"I thought we had an agreement." A hushed voice spoke angrily at the hunched figure standing next to them wearing a long black cloak obscuring their face.

"We do."

"Then why are we here. You do know I'm being followed. The Hokage isn't that foolish.

"Don't take me for a fool you old cripple. There's been a change in plan. The vessel is here in Konoha."

"Where, how do you know?"

"I fought him in the forest yesterday."

"Then why didn't you capture him?"

"I was tired from a previous fight, he'd gotten stronger, and besides I managed to leave the mark on him, and complete the first stage of the plan."

The old man smiled slightly. "Excellent."

His companion sneered. "I don't know what you're excited about. Colleting the target was your job. If you're not careful I won't need you, and Konoha will fall all the same.

The other man didn't react, other to frown slightly. "We've done everything you've asked. Three teams of ANBU have been looking for that boy round the clock, not to mention the ten Jounin we've got on long term missions to bring him back here. Besides he would still be here hiding right under the Sandaime's nose if it wasn't for us."

The man in the cloak merely nodded, and looked over his shoulder at the young lady shopper with a scarf wrapped tightly across the majority of her face, and then at the slightly older man sitting opposite from him at the tea shop clutching a newspaper close to his face. Noticing their returning gazes, he quickly turned his head, and backed even further into the entrance of the ally the two were standing in.

"You know what you have to do. Get the boy, and make the betrayal realistic. I want dead bodies of friends, preferably real, but fake will do. This time we will finally get the beast."

* * *

"Are we nearly there?"

Sakura sighed and checked the compass, and then the position of the sun in sky. "If we keep walking at this pace for another hour we should be there." Hanabi grunted and activated her bloodline, presumably checking she'd been correct, and that the path was clear.

A simple please or thank you wouldn't go astray. Maybe even a name here or there. Even Sasuke had used her name from time to time, and had viewed her as part of his team. Well, maybe enough that he wouldn't let her die. She wasn't sure whether he'd truly ever thought of anyone as a proper team mate. Maybe Naruto?

Team 7 had been making fairly good progress through the forest up to about noon on the third day, when they'd been attacked by a team from the hidden village of cloud. They seemed to only be interested in capturing Hanabi, which didn't sit too well with Konohamaru who defiantly didn't like being ignored.

Sakura hadn't seen much of the other two's fight as she was busy with the only female of the opponent team. She had officially had her arse handed to her, and if it wasn't for a last minute Kunai from Hanabi which killed her opponent just as she'd been about to take her head off, then she probably wouldn't be here now. Sakura was of course grateful, and had thanked the other girl, however she had merely shrugged it off, and looking back Sakura was becoming more and more convinced the shot was more of an afterthought then a valiant attempt to save the life of a teammate.

Eventually they turned a bend in the rough track they were following through the forest, and came out into a clearing with a large round building in the centre. They entered clutching weapons tightly, looking around cautiously. Konohamaru, taking the lead, read the sign on the chalkboard aloud, and opened the scrolls as instructed.

"Kakashi's team I presume." Sakura turned to face the woman who'd appeared suddenly in a cloud of smoke behind them. The voice sounded tired and confused, almost unsure of itself, Sakura noted. Much different from when they'd last seen her nearly five days ago.

Sakura was lying in bed much later tossing and turning, trying to get to sleep. She'd spent the last five days in the wild, barely sleeping, eating and drinking just enough to survive. She should have no problems nodding off; however she found her thoughts turning to her old team, as they had been doing increasingly over the last couple of months.

She'd always rejected Naruto, mostly out of instinct. Had she ever even considered one of his numerous proposals? Had she really been that babyish? Was she really as bad as Konohamaru's fan girls? She wanted to deny it, however she couldn't. She knew it was true. She couldn't escape that now, and she'd have to live with the consequences. If she ever saw Naruto or Sasuke again, she wouldn't make the same mistake. Sometimes it takes loosing it to truly appreciate what you had.

* * *

The sun rose over the Hokage Mountain, pushing its way through the dense canapé of the forest, and landing on a small cottage nestled up against a small cliff face in a small clear area devoid of the usual giant trees that inhabited the forest. The pale yellow walls stood out from the surroundings, seeming out of place with the dull greens, browns and greys. A small wisp of smoke curled leisurely out of the chimney dancing up into the Chrystal clear blue sky.

One particular beam of light found its way through one of the two windows, symmetrically placed either side of the door. It landed on a thick mop of spiky blond hair atop an angular tanned face. Three familiar markings adorned each cheek.

The eyelids fluttered open and closed revealing for a slip second the vivid blue eyes hidden underneath. A moment later they opened again cautiously, the pupils shrunk down to pinpricks to reduce the amount of light entering. After what looked like a great deal of effort he managed to gently roll his head to the left to avoid the sun's glare.

Naruto was confused. He was staring intently at a pile of small objects on the table next to the bed he was lying on. As his brain started to slowly cough to live, he became able to distinguish shapes and colours. Small details jumped out at him. Random thoughts began screaming for his attention. One of the items on the table caught his attention. The shape was familiar. A picture frame, side on to where he was lying.

Finally after much effort, he managed to sit up in the bed. Looking around him curiously he found himself in the middle of a small comfortable looking room well lit by the morning sun now streaming in the window. He had a splitting headache, his arm was sore, and his left leg was stiff. Come to think of it he was running out of places that weren't injured in some way or another.

He thought of the inviting bed that lay under him, and how easy it would be to fall back into the comfortable abyss of sleep. But then he remembered the photo. Maybe it would tell him where he was, maybe whose cosy bedroom he was currently inhabiting.

Naruto glanced back across to the picture. Summoning up all the small pockets of energy he currently had, he reached across, and grasped the picture turning it around ninety degrees so it was facing him and the bed.

He allowed him body to collapse back into the comfortable bed, and looked across at the picture. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the multitude of colours in the picture. The photo was of a group of adults sat around a table in a bar Naruto vaguely recognised. He recalled it being quite close to the ANBU and Jounin buildings, being a popular location for a lot of the higher rank Shinobi to go and relax.

He immediately recognised the tall spiky grey hair of his former sensei. Kakashi was sitting down at the far end of the table, wearing his typical lazy smile hidden behind the face mask. Well at least he presumed his old teacher was smiling, no one he knew had ever seen the ninja's actual face, so he couldn't be sure. He noticed that one of the small orange books the Jounin was addicted to wasn't in his hand as normal, which Naruto guessed this was due to the two smirking women sitting either side of him.

He recognised the first of the women as the Sensei of team eight, with her red eyes and long black hair. Looking at the other woman must have triggered something in his memory as he sat bolt upright, and grabbed the picture for a closer inspection. Yes it was her. The long trench coat and revealing fishnets, the short dark purple hair and the mischievous smirk.

He quickly flicked over the rest of the picture. There were about ten people in total, the majority wearing the traditional green jacket Jounin normally wore, except for the two women, and one strange looking guy to one side wearing an all green body suit. He was grinning at the camera so hard it almost made Naruto cringe just looking at the photo, and that wasn't taking into account the bowl cut and hugely bushy eyebrows

He needed to get his bearings, and then find the Hokage. He wasn't safe here, wherever here was. The coast looked clear for the moment, so it would be best if he was quick.

Reluctantly he climbed off the bed. Now he was more awake, he looked around the room curiously. It could well be a spare room, set aside for when an old aunty came to visit, but then why was the picture there, and why were there a multitude of clothes littered across the small floor space that wasn't taken up by the large bed, or cupboard in the corner.

Bending down Naruto turned over a few of the items. A short skirt, a couple of clean pale beige trench coats folded neatly just in under the bed, and much to his embarrassment a lone pare of red lace knickers.

He was in no doubt now. This had to be the snake ladies house. But why was he here? Didn't she have a mission to capture him? Why take him to her house, and leave him here? That's if she was gone.

Naruto moved cautiously to the door and peered through the small crack in the doorway into the next room. There were another two doors leading out of this room, leading to a bathroom and outside he presumed, making this an incredibly small house if his guess was accurate. Then again from what he knew of her, Anko did seem to be quite the loner.

The room was bigger than the bedroom but only slightly. It was split roughly into two, with one half devoted to a miniature kitchen with the usual items such as a small cooker, and fridge freezer. A manageable pile of dirty dishes were piled on one side next to the sink.

The other half of the room was filled with a small one person dining table, and a large comfortable armchair. A single shelf high up on the wall was crammed full of books and scrolls, and finally a small collection of pictures adorned the pale blue wall just to the right of the doorway that Naruto was occupying.

Well, at least it looked like she didn't get many visitors. His instincts screamed at him. He knew what he should do: get out while the going looks good. But it made little difference. His legs wouldn't hold him any longer, and he collapsed onto the armchair, sinking down into its comfortable depths. Besides, he reassured self, it would make little difference as he was in no fit state to fight even a Genin let alone any Jounin or ANBU that could be looking for him. Better to hope and wait, and face the music with his head held high, and with a surprisingly comfortable bottom, then hiding in a ditch somewhere almost defiantly covered in mud, cold wet and uncomfortable. Well at least that's what he told himself.

Feeling something behind him, Naruto shifted his weight; however the object dug into his back even harder. Reaching around behind his back, Naruto pulled out a pale pink bra from between the folds of the chair.

"Ah, you found it. I've been looking for that all over." A feminine voice called out from the door. "Not that I usually wear one, however it does keep the girls under control when there's lots of fighting going on. I know you used to be Kakashi's student, but somehow you don't seem perverted enough to break into a ladies house just to get your hands on some of my, incredibly hot I admit, underwear."

"uh..."

"Joking, but you may want to stop fondling that or I may yet be proved right. I'm Anko, we've met before, but not really had enough time to introduce ourselves."

* * *

AN: Not sure whether this chapter flowed properly, it's quite different from chapter 9, feedback please?

Thanking God my exams are finished! Guessing that's the case for a large percentage of you guys reading this, so hope everything went alright for you to. I'm probably going to be updating a bit more especially with the summer coming up, so watch this space

Ashes! Phew, hope the rest of the series isn't as tense as the first as I've no nails left to bite. What a game.

Oh and God bless the legend that was Michel Jackson

Later.


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